Explore the Family Name Ruth
The meaning of Ruth
1. German: from a short form of any of several ancient Germanic personal names formed with hrōd ‘renown’ (see Rode). 2. (Rüth): habitational name from a place so named near Euskirchen in Rhineland. 3. English: from Middle English reuth(e) ‘pity’, a nickname perhaps for a charitable person or for a pitiable one. The personal name Ruth was little used in England in the Middle Ages among non-Jews, and is unlikely to have had any influence on the surname. 4. Irish (Kilkenny and Wexford): from Rút, from a Scandinavian byname meaning ‘red’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ruth in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Ruth saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. Its rank dropped from 2150 to 2414, marking a 12.28% decrease. The count of individuals with the Ruth surname also decreased slightly by 3.03%, from 15,481 in 2000 to 15,012 in 2010. This resulted in a drop in the proportion per 100,000 people from 5.74 to 5.09, an 11.32% decrease.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,150 | #2,414 | -12.28% |
| Count | 15,481 | 15,012 | -3.03% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.74 | 5.09 | -11.32% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ruth
In terms of ethnicity, again referencing the Decennial U.S. Census data, there have been some shifts among those carrying the Ruth surname between 2000 and 2010. The most significant increase was seen among the Hispanic population, which rose by 54.24%. Meanwhile, Asian/Pacific Islander representation also increased by 33.33%. The number of individuals identifying as two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native saw increases of 6.80%, 8.33%, and 8.89% respectively. However, the White population with the Ruth surname experienced a slight decrease of 2.62%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 84.76% | 82.54% | -2.62% |
| Black | 10.92% | 11.83% | 8.33% |
| Hispanic | 1.77% | 2.73% | 54.24% |
| Two or More Races | 1.47% | 1.57% | 6.8% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.63% | 0.84% | 33.33% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.45% | 0.49% | 8.89% |
Ruth 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 Ruth is British & Irish, which comprises 43.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (33.1%) and Eastern European (5.8%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 43.3% |
| French & German | 33.1% |
| Eastern European | 5.8% |
| Other | 17.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Ruth
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 Ruth have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 79.80% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 79.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 79.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 79.50% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 78.70% |
What Ruth 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 Ruth is R-FGC14877, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-FGC14877 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-DF98 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Briggs, Staples, Allen, Wall, Smith, Barnes, Stephens, Bennett, Cooke, Watson.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ruth surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your 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 Ruth 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.
"Ruth" Surname 36.3%
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.
"Ruth" Surname 30.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Ruth" Surname 23.7%
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.
"Ruth" Surname 15.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ruth?
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 Ruth are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition