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

Rueck, 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 Rueck surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rueck in America

Rueck is the 118853rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rueck surname appeared 146 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Rueck.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rueck 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 Rueck

The surname RUECK originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "ruck," which means a jerk or a sudden movement. The name likely referred to someone who was known for their abrupt or jerky movements.

In its earliest recorded instances, the name was spelled as "Rucke" or "Rucken." These variations can be found in medieval German documents and records dating back to the 13th century. The name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony.

One of the earliest known bearers of this name was Heinrich Rucke, a German knight who lived in the late 12th century. He is mentioned in the chronicles of the city of Nuremberg for his participation in the Crusades.

Another notable figure with this surname was Johannes Rucken, a 15th-century German scholar and theologian. He was born in Augsburg in 1423 and was known for his contributions to the study of ancient Greek texts.

In the 16th century, the name RUECK appeared in the town records of Bamberg, where a family of artisans and craftsmen bearing this surname resided. One member of this family, Hans RUECK, was a renowned woodcarver who created ornate altarpieces for local churches.

During the Renaissance, the RUECK name was also associated with the arts. Georg RUECK, born in 1570 in Nuremberg, was a celebrated painter known for his religious and mythological works. His paintings can still be found in several museums across Germany.

In the 18th century, a branch of the RUECK family settled in the region of Saxony-Anhalt. One notable figure from this lineage was Friedrich RUECK, a military officer who served in the Prussian army during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763).

Throughout history, the RUECK surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, craftsmen, and military personnel. While not as widespread as some other German surnames, it has left a notable mark in the regions where it originated and flourished.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rueck

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

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 Rueck 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 Rueck 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 Rueck was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!