Find out how popular the last name Ruch is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Ruch.

Ruch, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Ruch surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ruch in America

Ruch is the 8891st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ruch surname appeared 3,682 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Ruch.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ruch to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Ruch

The surname Ruch has its origins in Germany, where it first appeared in the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "ruch," which means "rough" or "coarse." This suggests that the name may have been originally given as a nickname to someone with a gruff or rough demeanor.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Ruch can be found in the town of Augsburg, Germany, in the year 1346. It appears in a legal document from that time, referring to a man named Hans Ruch who was involved in a property dispute. This provides evidence that the name was in use in that region during the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the name Ruch appeared in various records across southern Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Some notable individuals from this time period include Johann Ruch (1505-1567), a Lutheran theologian and reformer from Nuremberg, and Matthäus Ruch (1540-1618), a prominent architect from Stuttgart who designed several churches and public buildings.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Ruch began to spread to other parts of Europe as families migrated and settled in new areas. One notable figure from this time was Johann Philipp Ruch (1673-1742), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector Palatine in Düsseldorf.

As the surname Ruch continued to disperse throughout Europe, it also made its way to other parts of the world through immigration. In the 19th century, several individuals with the name Ruch settled in North America, including Johann Georg Ruch (1812-1892), who emigrated from Germany to the United States in 1832 and became a successful farmer in Ohio.

Another significant figure bearing the surname Ruch was Wilhelm Ruch (1861-1934), a Swiss psychologist and philosopher who made important contributions to the study of humor and laughter. His work on the psychology of humor and the classification of humor styles has had a lasting impact on the field.

Throughout its history, the surname Ruch has been associated with various occupations and professions, from theologians and architects to farmers and psychologists. While its origins lie in Germany, the name has since spread to many parts of the world, carried by individuals and families as they migrated and established new lives in different regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ruch

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Ruch.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Ruch was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Ruch has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Ruch was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ruch, please contact us.

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