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Rugg Family History

Rugg Surname Meaning

South German (Rügg): from the medieval personal name Rüegg, a shortened form of Rudiger. English: from Middle English rugge ‘ridge’, a form found widely in the West Midlands, parts of southwestern England, and as far east as Sussex.

It is synonymous with Ridge and denotes someone who lived on or by a ridge, or who came from a place so named, such as Rudge (Staffordshire, Somerset) or Rudge in Froxfield (Wiltshire).

English: perhaps occasionally a nickname from Anglo-Norman French r(o)uge (Old French rouge) ‘red’, presumably for someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion.

Compare Rouse.

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


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Where is the Rugg family from?

You can see how Rugg families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rugg family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rugg families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 190 Rugg families living in London. This was about 31% of all the recorded Rugg's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Rugg families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rugg 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 Rugg 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 Rugg. 15% of Rugg men worked as a General Labourer and 76% of Rugg women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rugg were Dairy Farmer and Retired.

View Census Data for Rugg | 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
    15%
  • Gardener
    9%
  • Incapacitated
    9%
  • Dairy Farmer
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Retired
    3%

What Rugg family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 32,000 census records available for the last name Rugg. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rugg census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rugg

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Rugg. 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 Rugg immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Rugg. For the veterans among your Rugg ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rugg military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rugg family history

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What is the average Rugg lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Rugg life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Rugg in 1950 was 71, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rugg

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rugg 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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