2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Rubish
A Germanized spelling of the Russian surname Rubish or Rubish, derived from the word "rub" meaning "edge" or "border."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Rubish. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rubish surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Rubish in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rubish, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Black (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rubish
The surname RUBISH has its origins in the historic region of East Prussia, which is now located in modern-day Poland and Russia. The name dates back to the 13th century and is believed to be derived from the Old Prussian word "rubish", meaning "red soil" or "reddish earth".
One of the earliest recorded instances of the RUBISH surname can be found in a land registry document from the village of Königsberg, dated 1287. This document mentions a "Hans RUBISH" as a landowner in the area. The name is also mentioned in several other medieval records from the region, often in reference to individuals involved in agriculture or land management.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Joachim RUBISH (1522-1589) was a respected scholar and theologian from the city of Gdańsk (formerly known as Danzig). He was known for his work in translating religious texts into the Prussian language and promoting education in the region.
During the 17th century, the RUBISH surname began to spread beyond East Prussia as families migrated to other parts of Europe. In 1642, a merchant named Jakob RUBISH (1612-1678) settled in Amsterdam, where he established a successful trading business. His descendants continued to carry the RUBISH name in the Netherlands for several generations.
Another notable bearer of the RUBISH surname was Karl RUBISH (1789-1857), a German military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars. He was awarded the Iron Cross for his bravery in the Battle of Leipzig in 1813.
In the 19th century, the RUBISH name also appeared in records from the Russian Empire. One example is Fyodor RUBISH (1832-1903), a Russian nobleman and landowner from the Kaliningrad region, which was formerly part of East Prussia.
While the RUBISH surname is relatively uncommon today, it continues to be found in various parts of Europe, particularly in Poland, Germany, and Russia, reflecting its East Prussian origins and the migrations of families over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rubish
Among Census respondents with the surname Rubish, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Black (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Rubish bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Rubish surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.5% · 99
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rubish
Rubish appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+3 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,366 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-9 bearers (-7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,490 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.7%) | Down 6,366 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.8%) | Down 8,490 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Rubish surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #143,149 | #151,639 | -5.9% |
| Count | 116 | 107 | -7.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rubish bearers went from 116 to 107 (-7.8% change). The surname moved down 8,490 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #151,639.
FAQ
Rubish surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rubish?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Rubish. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Rubish?
Rubish ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 107 people with the surname Rubish. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Rubish.
Has Rubish become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rubish went from 116 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Rubish?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rubish, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Black (1.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Rubish in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.5% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rubish appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.5%), Two or More Races (2.8%), Black (1.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Rubish (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Rubish mean?
A Germanized spelling of the Russian surname Rubish or Rubish, derived from the word "rub" meaning "edge" or "border." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Rubish (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Rubish?
You can see how common the surname Rubish is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.