RAPHAEL
The surname Raphael finds its linguistic roots in the Hebrew name Rafa'el, which translates as ’God has healed’ or ’God heals’. The name is a compound of the Hebrew verbs rafa (to heal) and the divine particle el, denoting God.
In Judeo-Christian tradition the archangel Raphael is regarded as a healer and a protector. The use of this name as a surname may therefore have been associated with individuals who were perceived to possess healing abilities or who were believed to be under the divine protection of the archangel.
While Raphael is an ancient biblical name, its adoption as a family name was strongly linked to the Christian tradition that was introduced to Europe by Crusaders in the long nineteenth‑century crusades. The name became a custom for those returning from pilgrimages to the Holy Land to give their children biblical names, often as a recollection of their endeavours. The earliest English record of the surname appears in the registers of the diocese of London in 1639, when a christening at St Martin’s in the Field, Westminster recorded the birth of Ann, daughter of Peter and Ann Raphael. Again in 1644 the same parents appear as witnesses at a christening, confirming the persistence of the name within the local community.
Recorded variations of the surname include Rafael, Refael, Refaeli, Rafeaely, Raffello, Rachwal, Raphaelov and Refalovich. These spellings illustrate the name’s penetration into various European linguistic contexts. The surname is largely of Christian origin, though there are documented Jewish uses: for instance, Lewis Raphael was recorded as a member of the New Synagogue in London on January 31st 1835, and a Pierre Raphael is listed as a witness at the French church on Threadneedle Street in 1694. These instances demonstrate the surname’s adoption across different religious communities within the British Isles.
Thus, the surname Raphael embodies a theological heritage that traces back to Hebrew language and Christian tradition, while its historical records show a presence that spans both English civil society and Jewish religious life in the British Isles.
Typical given names associated with the Raphael surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Daniel
- David
- James
- John
- Leonard
- Mark
- Michael
- Peter
- Robert
- Simon
Female
- Alison
- Anna
- Belinda
- Christine
- Diane
- Joanne
- Margaret
- Mary
- Maureen
- Nadia
- Nicole
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
- Victoria
Similar and related surnames
- Rafael
- Raffaele
- Rafel
- Rafal
- Rafail
- Rafala
- Raffael
- Rafaele
- Rafaeli
- Rapheal
- Rafell
- Raffaelli
- Raffel
- Raffell
- Raffill
- Raffle
- Raffoul
- Rafla
- Rafle
- Raphaely
- Raphail
- Raphal
- Raphall
- Raphel
- Raphill
- Rauvola
- Ravaioli
- Raval
- Ravalia
- Ravalli
- Ravel
- Ravell
- Ravella
- Ravelle
- Ravelli
- Ravello
- Ravelo
- Raviele
- Ravill
- Reavel
- Reavell
- Reavil
- Reavill
- Reaville
- Reevel
- Reevell
- Reevil
- Reevill
- Refael
- Refalo
- Reffel
- Reffell
- Reffill
- Refolo
- Reval
- Revall
- Revel
- Revell
- Revelle
- Revelli
- Revello
- Revelo
- Revil
- Revile
- Revill
- Revilla
- Reville
- Revol
- Rieffel
- Riffel
- Riffell
- Riffle
- Rival
- Rivel
- Rivell
- Rivelli
- Riviello
- Rivill
- Rofail
- Rofaila
- Roffle
- Roufail
- Rovel
- Rovell
- Rovelli
- Rufell
- Ruffall
- Ruffel
- Ruffell
- Ruffill
- Ruffle
- Ruffolo
- Rufli
- Rufolo
- Ruful
- Ruvolo
- Ryffel
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Raphael in...
Braille
⠗⠁⠏⠓⠁⠑⠇
Morse
.-..-.--......-..-..
Semaphore
There are approximately 918 people named Raphael in the UK. That makes it roughly the 7,878th most common surname in Britain. Around 14 in a million people in Britain are named Raphael.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Raphael
- June Diane Raphael - American stage actor
- Suicide of Nicola Ann Raphael - Scottish suicide (1985 to 2001)
- Sarah Raphael - Artist (1960 to 2001)
- Geoffrey Raphael - Cricketer (1910 to 1986)
- Ralph Raphael - Chemist (1921 to 1998)
- Herbert Raphael - Politician (1859 to 1924)
- Richard Raphael - (1872 to 1910)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.