Rutt last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Rutt

A surname of German origin, derived from a shortened form of the given name Rudolf, meaning "famous wolf."

Rutt, 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 Rutt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rutt in America

Rutt is the 13727th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rutt surname appeared 2,205 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 Rutt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rutt 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 13727 13273 3.36%
Count 2,205 2,109 4.45%
Proportion per 100k 0.75 0.78 -3.92%

The history of the last name Rutt

The surname Rutt is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period. It is thought to be a variant of the Old English word "ryt," which means a small stream or rivulet. This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a topographic surname to someone who lived near a small stream or brook.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, one of the earliest comprehensive records of landowners in England, there are several entries for individuals with the surname Rutt or variations such as Rut, Rutte, or Ruttis. These entries indicate that the name was already in use by the late 11th century, primarily in the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Somerset in the southwest of England.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John Rutt, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1212. Another early reference can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire from 1332, which lists a Richard Rutt as a taxpayer.

The surname Rutt has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Rutt's Green in Gloucestershire and Rutt's Farm in Somerset. These place names may have contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname in those regions.

Notable individuals with the surname Rutt include:

  1. John Rutt (c. 1760-1841), an English Unitarian minister and author from Rivenhall, Essex.
  2. Martha Rutt (1777-1850), a Quaker minister and abolitionist from Pennsylvania, United States.
  3. John Towill Rutt (1760-1841), an English Unitarian minister and antiquarian from Rivenhall, Essex.
  4. William Rutt (1799-1887), an English Quaker minister and author from Wiltshire.
  5. John Rutt (1819-1893), a British civil engineer and surveyor who worked on the construction of several railway lines in England and Australia.

The surname Rutt has persisted throughout the centuries and can be found in various parts of the world today, particularly in England, the United States, and other English-speaking countries. While its origins can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period, the name continues to hold a rich historical significance and connection to the landscapes and people of England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rutt

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

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 Rutt was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 93.42% 2,060
Non-Hispanic Black Only 1.18% 26
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 1.59% 35
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.23% 5
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.91% 20
Hispanic Origin 2.68% 59

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 Rutt has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 93.42% 95.50% -2.20%
Black 1.18% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 1.59% 1.09% 37.31%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.23% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 0.91% 1.09% -18.00%
Hispanic 2.68% 1.28% 70.71%

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

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

Reference this page

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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!

"Rutt last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 8, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/rutt-surname-popularity/.

"Rutt last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/rutt-surname-popularity/. Accessed 8 November, 2024

Rutt last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/rutt-surname-popularity/.

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