Explore the Family Name Ruby
The meaning of Ruby
1. English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Roubaix in Nord (France). 2. English: nickname from Middle English and Old French rubi (from Latin rubinus) ‘ruby’, perhaps denoting a virtuous or radiant person or a jeweler. 3. English: variant of Roby. 4. French: variant of Rubin. 5. German: variant of Rubi.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ruby in the United States?
The popularity of the surname Ruby has seen a slight decline from 2000 to 2010, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the surname ranked 3646 and by 2010 had slid to 3904, representing a decrease of 7.08%. While the rank dropped, the count of individuals carrying the Ruby surname increased marginally from 8,955 in 2000 to 9,091 in 2010, marking an increase of 1.52%. The proportion of the Ruby surname per 100k people also fell slightly over the decade, from 3.32 to 3.08, a decrease of 7.23%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,646 | #3,904 | -7.08% |
| Count | 8,955 | 9,091 | 1.52% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.32 | 3.08 | -7.23% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ruby
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the majority of individuals with the Ruby surname identify as White, though this percentage saw a minor decrease from 90.25% in 2000 to 88.66% in 2010. The percentage identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic saw notable increases: the former rose from 1.02% to 1.37%, a change of 34.31%, while the latter increased from 4.94% to 6.27%, a change of 26.92%. The proportion of individuals identifying as Two or more races and American Indian and Alaskan Native also rose slightly, at 5.79% and 3.51% respectively. Meanwhile, the proportion of those identifying as Black saw a marginal decrease from 2.02% to 1.83%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.25% | 88.66% | -1.76% |
| Hispanic | 4.94% | 6.27% | 26.92% |
| Black | 2.02% | 1.83% | -9.41% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.02% | 1.37% | 34.31% |
| Two or More Races | 1.21% | 1.28% | 5.79% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.57% | 0.59% | 3.51% |
Ruby ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Ruby is British & Irish, which comprises 42.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.9%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (9.5%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 42.7% |
| French & German | 26.9% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 9.5% |
| Other | 20.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Ruby
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Ruby have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 78.70% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 78.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 78.70% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 78.70% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 78.20% |
What Ruby haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Ruby is I-CTS1977, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup I-CTS1977 is descended from haplogroup I-M170. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and I-DF29, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Barker, Everett, Cooper, Martin, Smith, Brown, Turner, Miller, Wilson, Clark.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ruby surname are: H1, H, I. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins I-M170Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Ruby have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Ruby" Surname 44.9%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Ruby" Surname 24.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Ruby" Surname 17.8%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Ruby" Surname 18.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ruby?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Ruby are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition