NameCensus.

UK surname

Rufus

A surname derived from the Latin Rufus meaning "red-haired" or "red-complexioned."

In the 1881 census there were 98 people recorded with the Rufus surname, ranking it #19,999 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 236, ranked #17,470, up from #19,999 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dawley, Magna, London parishes and Dartford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Kirklees and Tonbridge and Malling.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rufus is 252 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 140.8%.

1881 census count

98

Ranked #19,999

Modern count

236

2016, ranked #17,470

Peak year

2010

252 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rufus had 98 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,999 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016, ranked #17,470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 155 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Rufus surname distribution map

The map shows where the Rufus surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Rufus surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rufus over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 45 #25,168
1861 historical 21 #31,242
1881 historical 98 #19,999
1891 historical 128 #20,393
1901 historical 124 #20,163
1911 historical 155 #17,485
1997 modern 180 #18,812
1998 modern 188 #18,796
1999 modern 202 #18,127
2000 modern 207 #17,833
2001 modern 207 #17,573
2002 modern 208 #17,848
2003 modern 212 #17,454
2004 modern 225 #16,882
2005 modern 236 #16,286
2006 modern 233 #16,560
2007 modern 242 #16,296
2008 modern 246 #16,247
2009 modern 245 #16,646
2010 modern 252 #16,701
2011 modern 251 #16,589
2012 modern 230 #17,479
2013 modern 237 #17,423
2014 modern 235 #17,619
2015 modern 237 #17,413
2016 modern 236 #17,470

Geography

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Where Rufus' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dawley, Magna, London parishes, Dartford, Manchester and Maidstone, Linton, Loddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Kirklees, Tonbridge and Malling, Islington and Waltham Forest. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Dawley, Magna Shropshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Dartford Kent
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Maidstone, Linton, Loddington Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 035 Doncaster
2 Kirklees 025 Kirklees
3 Tonbridge and Malling 014 Tonbridge and Malling
4 Islington 019 Islington
5 Waltham Forest 026 Waltham Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rufus

These lists show first names that appear often with the Rufus surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rufus

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rufus, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Rufus surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Rufus household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Rufus is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rufus is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rufus falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rufus is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

This describes the area pattern most associated with Rufus, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rufus

The surname Rufus is of Latin origin, deriving from the word "rufus" meaning "red" or "red-haired." It is believed to have originated as a nickname or descriptive name given to individuals with reddish-colored hair or a ruddy complexion.

The name first emerged in ancient Rome, where it was used as a cognomen or third name indicating a personal or physical characteristic. One of the earliest recorded uses of the name was in reference to Quintus Curtius Rufus, a Roman historian who lived in the 1st century AD and wrote a biography of Alexander the Great.

During the Middle Ages, Rufus became a common surname in various European regions, particularly in England and France. It was often anglicized as "Ruffus" or "Ruffo" in some areas. The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, contains several entries of individuals bearing the surname Rufus or its variants.

One notable historical figure who bore the surname Rufus was William II, also known as William Rufus, the third son of William the Conqueror. He reigned as King of England from 1087 until his death in a hunting accident in 1100. His epithet "Rufus" referred to his ruddy complexion and red-faced appearance.

Another significant figure with the surname Rufus was Richard Rufus, a renowned philosopher and theologian who lived in the 13th century. He was a prominent scholar at the University of Paris and made significant contributions to the field of scholastic philosophy.

In the 14th century, the surname Rufus appeared in various locations across Europe, including the Netherlands, where it was recorded as "Ruffus" or "Ruffaert." One notable bearer of the name during this period was Jan Ruffaert, a Flemish painter active in the late 14th century, known for his religious works and altarpieces.

The surname Rufus also had a presence in Italy, where it was sometimes anglicized as "Ruffo." One prominent Italian family bearing this name was the Ruffo di Calabria, an aristocratic family from the southern region of Calabria. They held significant power and influence in the Kingdom of Naples during the Medieval and Renaissance periods.

As the centuries passed, the surname Rufus spread to various parts of the world, carried by individuals and families who migrated or established new settlements. While the name has retained its connection to its Latin roots, it has also taken on local variations and spellings in different regions and cultures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rufus families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rufus surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Surrey leads with 19 Rufus' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.08x.

County Total Index
Surrey 19 4.08x
Kent 18 5.52x
Warwickshire 13 5.39x
Worcestershire 10 8.01x
Shropshire 9 10.90x
Buckinghamshire 7 12.11x
Middlesex 7 0.73x
Suffolk 5 4.29x
Lancashire 4 0.35x
Derbyshire 3 2.00x
Essex 2 1.06x
Durham 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bermondsey in Surrey leads with 10 Rufus' recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.14x.

Place Total Index
Bermondsey 10 35.14x
Dawley 9 299.00x
Aston 8 12.05x
Princes Risborough 7 909.09x
Kings Norton 6 53.62x
Richmond 6 91.88x
Dartford 5 150.15x
Ipswich St Clement 5 168.92x
Maidstone 5 51.49x
Shoreditch London 5 12.07x
Gorton 4 37.52x
Leamington Priors 3 50.59x
Plumstead 3 27.60x
Brimington 2 175.44x
Dudley 2 13.18x
Lee 2 42.19x
Ramsgate 2 37.59x
Walthamstow 2 29.46x
Yardley 2 62.70x
Birtley 1 86.21x
Camberwell 1 1.64x
Chinley Bugsworth 1 256.41x
Clerkenwell London 1 4.43x
Edgbaston 1 13.39x
Hanwell 1 59.17x
Lambeth 1 1.20x
North Cray 1 476.19x
Southwark St Saviour 1 20.37x
Warwick St Nicholas 1 56.50x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Rufus surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 6
Harriet 5
Jane 4
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Ellen 3
Louisa 3
Amelia 2
Elizabeth 2
Martha 2
Rebecca 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Barbara 1
Bertha 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Hannah 1
Laura 1
Lucy 1
Mar 1
Maria 1
Phoeby 1
Sarah 1
Sussan 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Rufus surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 9
John 6
Henry 4
Frederick 3
George 3
Charles 2
Edwin 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Archie 1
Arthur 1
Chas. 1
Eustace 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Gustavus 1
H. 1
Hy. 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Rufus surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rufus surname in 1881?

In 1881, 98 people were recorded with the Rufus surname. That placed it at #19,999 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rufus surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016. That gives Rufus a modern rank of #17,470.

What does the Rufus surname mean?

A surname derived from the Latin Rufus meaning "red-haired" or "red-complexioned."

What does the Rufus map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rufus bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.