Ruth Family History

Ruth Surname Meaning

German: from a short form of any of several ancient Germanic personal names formed with hrōd ‘renown’ (see Rode). (Rüth): habitational name from a place so named near Euskirchen in Rhineland.

English: from Middle English reuth(e) ‘pity’ a nickname perhaps for a charitable person or for a pitiable one. The personal name Ruth was little used in England in the Middle Ages among non-Jews and is unlikely to have had any influence on the surname.

Irish (Kilkenny and Wexford): from Rút from a Scandinavian byname meaning ‘red’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Similar surnames: Roth, Rush, Rath, Rutz, Muth, Guth, Auth, Rudi, Ruch, Buth

193K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
17K	Military Records
13K	Immigration Records
98K	Census and Voter Lists
273K	Member Trees

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Where is the Ruth family from?

You can see how Ruth families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ruth family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ruth families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 248 Ruth families living in London. This was about 29% of all the recorded Ruth's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Ruth families in 1891.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ruth surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Ruth

What did your Ruth ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Plasterer and Unpaid domestic duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Ruth. 39% of Ruth men worked as a Plasterer and 64% of Ruth women worked as an Unpaid domestic duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ruth were School caretaker and Unpaid domestic.

View Census Data for Ruth

Data not to scale

We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Plasterer

39%

Carpenter

31%

Police constable

16%

School caretaker

16%

Unpaid domestic duties

64%

Housewife

Domestic servant

Unpaid domestic

What Ruth family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 98K census records available for the last name Ruth. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ruth census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ruth

Passenger List

There are 13K immigration records available for the last name Ruth. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ruth immigration records

Military Records

There are 17K military records available for the last name Ruth. For the veterans among your Ruth ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ruth military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ruth family history

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What is the average Ruth lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Ruth life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Ruth in 1941 was 45, and 74 in 2004.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ruth family tree

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Ruth Surname Meaning

Irish (Kilkenny and Wexford): from Rút from a Scandinavian byname meaning ‘red’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Where is the Ruth family from?

What did your Ruth ancestors do for a living?

Data not to scale

We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Plasterer

39%

Carpenter

31%

Police constable

16%

School caretaker

16%

Unpaid domestic duties

64%

Housewife

Domestic servant

Unpaid domestic

What Ruth family records will you find?

What is the average Ruth lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Ruth life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Ruth in 1941 was 45, and 74 in 2004.

Ruth Family History

Ruth Surname Meaning

596,000 record(s) for Ruth

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Where is the Ruth family from?

What did your Ruth ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Ruth family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Ruth family history

What is the average Ruth lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ruth family tree

Search for another surname

Ruth Surname Meaning

596,000 record(s) for Ruth

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Where is the Ruth family from?

What did your Ruth ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Ruth family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Ruth family history

What is the average Ruth lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ruth family tree

Search for another surname