Explore the Family Name Ruthven
The meaning of Ruthven
Scottish: habitational name, traditionally pronounced ‘Ri-ven’, from Ruthven by Huntingtower (Perthshire); also possibly from Ruthven (Angus) and various other places of that name throughout Scotland, named either with Gaelic ruadh ‘red’ + mhaighin ‘place’ or with a cognate of Welsh rhudd faen ‘red stone’. The oldest family of this name, the lords of the barony of Ruthven by Perth, were descended from Thor, son of Swain, lord of Tranent in Lothian and first sheriff of Edinburgh on record in the mid-12th century. The family eventually gained the title of Earl of Gowrie, but because of what became known as ‘the Gowrie Conspiracy’ the title was forfeited and from 1600 to 1641 the surname itself was proscribed. The title was later restored to the family, and the present Earl of Gowrie bears the surname Ruthven.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ruthven in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Ruthven has seen a slight decline. In 2000, Ruthven ranked 40,397 in terms of commonality and rose to a rank of 41,164 by 2010, marking a drop of 1.9%. Despite this shift in ranking, the actual count of individuals with the Ruthven surname increased from 510 in 2000 to 529 in 2010, growing by 3.73%. However, when measured as a proportion per 100,000 people, the prevalence of this surname saw a 5.26% decrease over the same ten-year period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #40,397 | #41,164 | -1.9% |
| Count | 510 | 529 | 3.73% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.19 | 0.18 | -5.26% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ruthven
Turning to ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the vast majority of individuals carrying the Ruthven surname identify as White. This group accounted for 96.86% of Ruthvens in 2000, decreasing slightly to 96.79% in 2010. The percentage of Ruthvens identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander fell from 0.98% in 2000 to zero by 2010. Conversely, no Ruthvens identified as Black in 2000, but this figure rose to 0.95% in 2010. Those identifying as Hispanic decreased from 1.37% in 2000 to 1.13% in 2010. There were no recorded changes among those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native or belonging to two or more races.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.86% | 96.79% | -0.07% |
| Hispanic | 1.37% | 1.13% | -17.52% |
| Black | 0% | 0.95% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.98% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |