Explore the Family Name Ru
The meaning of Ru
Chinese: 1. Mandarin form of the surname 茹, meaning ‘eat’ in ancient Chinese: (i) borne by members of the Ruru (茹茹) ethnic group (also known as Rourans) in ancient northern China. (ii) adopted as a surname by the Pu Lou Ru (普陋茹) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). 2. Mandarin form of the surname 汝, meaning ‘you’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the placename Ru Chuan (汝川), the name of a fief (located in Henan province) granted to the youngest son of King Ping of Zhou (died 720 BC). The surname may alternatively be derived from Ru (汝), the name of a river (also located in present-day Henan province). (ii) borne by descendants of Ru Jiu (汝鳩) and Ru Fang (汝方), talented officials during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ru in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Ru has grown in popularity over the span of a decade. In 2000, Ru ranked 59,293 in the United States, and by 2010, it had climbed in the rankings to 48,901, a significant increase of 17.53%. Similarly, the count of individuals with the surname Ru also increased from 319 in 2000 to 431 in 2010, marking a substantial growth of 35.11%. The proportion of people with the Ru surname per 100,000 people likewise grew by 25%, from 0.12 in 2000 to 0.15 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #59,293 | #48,901 | 17.53% |
| Count | 319 | 431 | 35.11% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.12 | 0.15 | 25% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ru
When it comes to ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that individuals with the surname Ru predominantly identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. This group made up 69.59% of the total in 2000, decreasing slightly to 66.13% in 2010. The second most common ethnicity is White, increasing from 18.18% in 2000 to 19.95% in 2010. There was an increase in those identifying as Hispanic from 7.84% to 9.05% during this period. Meanwhile, there was a noticeable surge in those identifying as Black, with an increase of 79.91% between 2000 and 2010. The category Two or more races saw a decrease to zero in 2010 from 2.19% in 2000, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native category remained at zero for both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 69.59% | 66.13% | -4.97% |
| White | 18.18% | 19.95% | 9.74% |
| Hispanic | 7.84% | 9.05% | 15.43% |
| Black | 2.19% | 3.94% | 79.91% |
| Two or More Races | 2.19% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |