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Ruther Family History

Ruther Name Meaning

German (also Rüther): habitational name for someone from Rüth or Rüthen in Westphalia. German (Rüther): variant of Reuter 1 or in some cases a cognate of Dutch Ruiter . Compare Ruether . Dutch: variant of Rutter English and Welsh (Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire): perhaps from an Anglicized form of the Welsh personal names Rhodri and Rhydderch (see Roderick and compare Rothery ) with possible influence from the English river name Rother (Sussex Hampshire and Yorkshire).

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


Similar surnames: Rather, Rutter, Ruter, Ruether, Rusher, Kucher, Reuther, Rother

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Ruther family from?

You can see how Ruther families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ruther family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ruther families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 61 Ruther families living in Lancashire. This was about 15% of all the recorded Ruther's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Ruther families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ruther 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 Ruther 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 Ruther. 50% of Ruther men worked as a General Labourer and 77% of Ruther women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ruther were Agricultural Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Dutie. .

View Census Data for Ruther | 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
    50%
  • Dairy Farmer
    25%
  • Agricultural Labourer
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Home Duties
    6%
  • Incapacitated
    6%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    4%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Ruther family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Ruther. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ruther census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ruther

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Ruther. For the veterans among your Ruther ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Ruther lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Ruther life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1991, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Ruther in 1961 was 55, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ruther

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