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

Rugg, 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 Rugg surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rugg in America

Rugg is the 10704th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rugg surname appeared 2,986 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 Rugg.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rugg 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 Rugg

The surname Rugg is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "hrycg," meaning "ridge" or "hill." It first emerged as a topographic name used to identify someone who lived near a prominent ridge or hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rugg can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Ruge." This medieval survey, commissioned by William the Conqueror, documented landholders and their properties across England.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Rugg was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, where it likely originated. In these regions, the name may have been derived from specific place names containing the word "ridge," such as Rudge or Rudgeway.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records as "Rugge" and "Ruge." One notable individual from this period was John Rugge, a landowner in Worcestershire mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of 1273.

As the centuries progressed, the spelling of the name evolved, with variations such as "Rugge," "Rugg," and "Rugge" appearing in different regions. In the 16th century, a prominent figure named John Rugg (1522-1581) was a Protestant martyr burned at the stake during the reign of Queen Mary I.

Another notable bearer of the Rugg surname was Thomas Rugg (1584-1658), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Provost of Eton College from 1627 until his death.

During the 17th century, the name Rugg was also found in New England, where several early settlers carried the surname. One such individual was Jonathan Rugg (1645-1718), one of the founders of the town of Rye, New Hampshire.

In the 18th century, the Rugg family established itself in Virginia, with William Rugg (1720-1790) being a prominent landowner and planter in Spotsylvania County.

As the name spread across different regions, variations in spelling continued to emerge, including "Rugge," "Rug," and "Ruggles." Despite these variations, the core meaning and origin of the surname remained rooted in the Old English word for "ridge" or "hill."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rugg

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

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

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

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