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Ruffen Family History

Ruffen Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Ruffin, Ruffer, Offen, Rutten, Ruffo, Duffer, Draffen, Huffer, Ruen

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Ruffen family from?

You can see how Ruffen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ruffen family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ruffen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1861 there were 3 Ruffen families living in Inverness-shire. This was 100% of all the recorded Ruffen's in Scotland. Inverness-shire had the highest population of Ruffen families in 1861.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ruffen 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 Ruffen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Ruffen. 47% of Ruffen men worked as a Laborer and 43% of Ruffen women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ruffen were Porter and Cook.

View Census Data for Ruffen | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    47%
  • Farmer
    18%
  • Farming
    11%
  • Porter
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    43%
  • Laborer
    29%
  • Cook
    29%

What Ruffen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 828 census records available for the last name Ruffen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ruffen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ruffen

Passenger Lists

There are 73 immigration records available for the last name Ruffen. 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 Ruffen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 211 military records available for the last name Ruffen. For the veterans among your Ruffen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ruffen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ruffen family history

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What is the average Ruffen lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2002, in the United States, Ruffen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1980, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Ruffen in 1966 was 51, and 76 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ruffen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ruffen 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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