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Ruffell Family History

Ruffell Surname Meaning

English (Essex): nickname from Middle English ruffel ‘commotion riotous disturbance struggle dispute confusion’.

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


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Where is the Ruffell family from?

You can see how Ruffell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ruffell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ruffell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 209 Ruffell families living in London. This was about 28% of all the recorded Ruffell's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Ruffell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ruffell 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 Ruffell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Ruffell. 13% of Ruffell men worked as a General Labourer and 77% of Ruffell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ruffell were Lorry Driver and Private Means.

View Census Data for Ruffell | 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 Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    13%
  • Agricultural Labourer
    8%
  • Bricklayer
    6%
  • Lorry Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Ruffell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Ruffell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ruffell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ruffell

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 958 military records available for the last name Ruffell. For the veterans among your Ruffell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ruffell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ruffell family history

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What is the average Ruffell lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Ruffell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1985, and highest in 1965. The average life expectancy for Ruffell in 1964 was 59, and 63 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ruffell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ruffell 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.

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