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Rudder Family History

Rudder Surname Meaning

German: variant of Ruder Altered form of German Ruder 1 and English: topographic name from Middle English rude ‘clearing’ (Old English rȳd) + the agent suffix -er

for someone who lived in or near a clearing.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Rudder family from?

You can see how Rudder families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rudder family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rudder families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 30 Rudder families living in Warwickshire. This was about 25% of all the recorded Rudder's in United Kingdom. Warwickshire had the highest population of Rudder families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rudder surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Rudder ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Rudder. 86% of Rudder women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Rudder | 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.

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    86%
  • Actress A F S
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    8%

What Rudder family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Rudder. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rudder census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rudder

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Rudder. 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 Rudder immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Rudder. For the veterans among your Rudder ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rudder military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rudder family history

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What is the average Rudder lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Rudder life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1983. The average life expectancy for Rudder in 1944 was 30, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rudder

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rudder ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Rudder family tree

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