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Ruhnke Family History

Ruhnke Name Meaning

German:: from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with run- ‘rune secret’. possibly a habitational name from Runau (Ruhnow) Rumbke in former parts of Brandenburg and Pomerania (now Poland) or from Runow in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania.

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


Similar surnames: Runk, Hunke, Dahnke, Brunke, Punke, Kuhnke, Behnke, Dehnke, Reinke

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Where is the Ruhnke family from?

You can see how Ruhnke families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ruhnke family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Ruhnke families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 13 Ruhnke families living in Minnesota. This was about 42% of all the recorded Ruhnke's in USA. Minnesota had the highest population of Ruhnke families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ruhnke surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Ruhnke ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Ruhnke. 24% of Ruhnke men worked as a Farmer and 25% of Ruhnke women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ruhnke were Machinist and Operator. .

View Census Data for Ruhnke | 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

  • Farmer
    24%
  • Farming
    21%
  • Laborer
    18%
  • Machinist
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    25%
  • Maid
    13%
  • Teacher
    13%
  • Operator
    13%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Ruhnke family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Ruhnke. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ruhnke census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ruhnke

Passenger Lists

There are 435 immigration records available for the last name Ruhnke. 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 Ruhnke immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 741 military records available for the last name Ruhnke. For the veterans among your Ruhnke ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ruhnke military records

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What is the average Ruhnke lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Ruhnke life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Ruhnke in 1961 was 61, and 89 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ruhnke

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