Welcome to the Rao Family page at Surname Finder, a service of Genealogy Today. Our editors have compiled this checklist of genealogical resources, combining links to commercial databases along with user-contributed information and web sites for the Rao surname. As additional sources for vital records, original documents, vintage photographs and surname-based DNA projects are discovered, this page is updated to offer the best list for researching Rao ancestry. Share this page on Twitter!
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The Rao Family Tree
It is quite possible that someone else has already performed work on a Rao family tree, so be sure to examine some of the sources listed below carefully. Have you struck a Rao brick wall? Read "Searching For A Needle In An Ancestral Haystack" for some helpful advice.
Best Tree Collections for Discovering Rao Ancestors
Rao Genealogy
Keep an open mind when searching through Rao records. Years ago many people were unable to read and write, thus a given ancestor's name could be spelled in a variety of ways depending on who recorded it. If you want to know How can city directories be used to help my Rao research?, then read this frequently asked question.
Top Five Genealogy Databases to Search for Rao
Historical newspapers give us the ability to discover ancestral history through eyewitness accounts.
There are currently matching Rao records at Ancestry.com!
Start exploring this online Rao family history resource today.
Death Records
Military Records
Origins of the Rao Surname
It is quite possible for two people with the Rao last name to have been given that surname for entirely different reasons. Discovering the country from which your Rao ancestors originated can often yield additional clues for the meaning of the surname. Keep in mind that it was not unusual for a last name to be altered as an ancestor entered a new country.
Rao DNA Projects
DNA testing for genealogy continues to improve. If you had some of your Rao relatives tested several years ago, it may be worthwhile to have them retested. Likewise, as DNA testing companies have gathered more results and samples, you may be able to find more matches if you search again with your test results. If you're not sure how DNA testing could aid your Rao research, read "Utilizing DNA in Family History Research".
Rao Family History
Every family has a different history, and every document you discover about your Rao ancestors will help paint a picture that can be shared with your relatives. Whether you are a beginner or expert genealogists, knowing How do I find my Rao family history on the Internet? is always useful.
Photo Collections
Networking with Rao Researchers
When you've come up against a brick wall in your genealogy research, posting a message board query can help; one of the biggest benefits is that message board queries are accessed through search engines, which means even someone not specifically engaged in genealogy but interested in your subject may find your query and bring valuable new information to the table -- it happens! The article "Looking for John Smith - Focusing a Query" provides some valuable tips for posting successful Rao queries.
You may also want to consider posting a query to the Community Message Boards at Genealogy Today to get assistance from other researchers on your most elusive Rao ancestors.
Rao Achievements & Celebrities
Did you know that Rao was the 7375th most popular surname in the 1990 census of the United States?
Web Sites & Blogs with Rao Research
If you are having difficulty locating records for the last name of Rao, contact the folks at ProGenealogists for a free research estimate. You may also find it helpful to read, "When, Why and How to Hire a Professional Genealogist."
RootsWeb search of US Naturalization Records
RootsWeb search of Obituary Daily Times
RootsWeb search of Social Security Death Index
To recommend your web site/blog for inclusion on this page, please submit a link to the user-contributed directory at Genealogy Today. Your web page may appear once its content has been reviewed by our editors.
Upcoming Rao Family Reunions
Notifying everyone in advance to bring old photos and documents can bring big rewards, making a special place at the reunion (maybe even a special Rao booth) where people can come at their leisure to sit, look and chat; in addition to information and clues that might be written on the back of a photo, every photograph has a story and serves as an excellent stimulus to recall -- people might comment not only on the people in the photo, but also on what's in the background, or they might have information around where the photo was taken or the event -- just be sure to have someone there to capture new information. The article "Family Reunions Don't Always Turn Out as one has Pictured" may provide you with tips for hosting a successful Rao reunion.
See Also
Reho Roo Raa Rae Rai Rau Ray Ra Ao
Surname Finder, The Rao Genealogy and Family Tree Page [on-line resource], New Providence, NJ, USA: Genealogy Today LLC, 2023.