NameCensus.

UK surname

Ruth

A surname of Hebrew origin meaning "friend" or "companion."

In the 1881 census there were 364 people recorded with the Ruth surname, ranking it #8,525 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 597, ranked #8,748, down from #8,525 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stradbroke, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Suffolk, Barnsley and Wrexham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ruth is 827 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 64.0%.

1881 census count

364

Ranked #8,525

Modern count

597

2016, ranked #8,748

Peak year

1861

827 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ruth had 364 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,525 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 597 in 2016, ranked #8,748.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 827 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Ruth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ruth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ruth 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 308 #7,478
1861 historical 827 #3,335
1881 historical 364 #8,525
1891 historical 581 #6,569
1901 historical 511 #7,936
1911 historical 434 #8,740
1997 modern 518 #9,066
1998 modern 549 #8,951
1999 modern 546 #9,038
2000 modern 529 #9,233
2001 modern 509 #9,323
2002 modern 524 #9,338
2003 modern 502 #9,460
2004 modern 495 #9,573
2005 modern 506 #9,367
2006 modern 520 #9,208
2007 modern 538 #9,044
2008 modern 537 #9,126
2009 modern 553 #9,140
2010 modern 578 #9,021
2011 modern 579 #8,924
2012 modern 582 #8,793
2013 modern 587 #8,876
2014 modern 591 #8,913
2015 modern 585 #8,899
2016 modern 597 #8,748

Geography

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Where Ruths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stradbroke, London parishes, Manchester, Glasgow and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Suffolk, Barnsley, Wrexham, Isle of Wight and Dennistoun North. 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 Stradbroke Suffolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Suffolk 001 Mid Suffolk
2 Barnsley 003 Barnsley
3 Wrexham 019 Wrexham
4 Isle of Wight 007 Isle of Wight
5 Dennistoun North Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ruth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ruth

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ruth, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Ruth surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Ruth household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ruth is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ruth 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

Ruth falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ruth 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Ruth

The surname Ruth has its origins in the Germanic language, deriving from the Old German word "roth" or "rod," meaning red. It is believed to have originated as a descriptive name referring to someone with reddish hair or a ruddy complexion.

Ruth is a name that can be traced back to the Middle Ages, with early records showing it to be present in various regions of Germany and the Netherlands. Some of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in medieval records from the 12th and 13th centuries.

In the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony in Germany, there are mentions of individuals with the surname Ruth dating back to the 13th century. This suggests that the name was already established and in use during that time period.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Johannes Ruth, a merchant from the city of Hamburg in northern Germany, who was recorded in the city's archives in the year 1328. Another notable individual was Henricus Ruth, a landowner from the town of Lübeck, whose name appears in local records from 1412.

As people migrated and settled in different areas, the surname Ruth spread across various regions of Europe. In England, for instance, there are records of the name appearing as early as the 16th century, with variations such as Ruthe and Rooth.

One of the most famous historical figures with the surname Ruth was the renowned German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), whose mother's maiden name was Ruth. Kepler is best known for his laws of planetary motion and his contributions to the scientific revolution.

Another notable individual was the German painter and engraver Johann Christoph Ruth (1657-1719), who was renowned for his landscape paintings and etchings depicting scenes from the Black Forest region of Germany.

In the United States, the surname Ruth gained prominence through the legendary baseball player Babe Ruth (1895-1948), whose given name was George Herman Ruth Jr. Babe Ruth is considered one of the greatest players in the history of the sport and is credited with helping to popularize the game in the early 20th century.

Other notable individuals with the surname Ruth include the American writer and journalist Babe Ruth Bambino (1887-1948), the German-American composer and educator Gustav Ruth (1858-1940), and the American lawyer and jurist Jacob Ruth (1803-1870), who served as a judge in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ruth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ruth 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. Middlesex leads with 70 Ruths recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.02x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 70 2.02x
Lancashire 49 1.19x
Surrey 40 2.36x
Durham 38 3.68x
Suffolk 37 8.75x
Devon 24 3.32x
Lanarkshire 19 1.69x
Cheshire 15 1.96x
Norfolk 11 2.06x
Cumberland 8 2.68x
Staffordshire 5 0.43x
Sussex 5 0.85x
Bedfordshire 4 2.22x
Glamorgan 4 0.66x
Hampshire 4 0.56x
Kent 4 0.34x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.85x
Essex 3 0.44x
Northumberland 3 0.58x
Yorkshire 3 0.09x
Derbyshire 1 0.18x
Herefordshire 1 0.70x
Hertfordshire 1 0.42x
Midlothian 1 0.22x
Shropshire 1 0.33x
Warwickshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 21 Ruths recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.47x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 21 9.47x
Stradbroke 21 1468.53x
Crook Billy Row 14 105.82x
Habergham Eaves 14 37.17x
Hornsey 14 31.88x
Manchester 13 7.02x
Rotherhithe 13 30.30x
Aveton Gifford 11 1047.62x
Kensington London 11 5.70x
Birkenhead 10 16.36x
Glasgow 10 5.01x
Govan 9 3.24x
Horham 9 2250.00x
Gateshead 8 10.34x
Ratcliffe London 8 41.71x
Whitworth 8 105.82x
Bethnal Green London 6 3.98x
Bradford 6 31.10x
East Allington 6 967.74x
Kingsbridge 6 329.67x
Coundon 5 119.33x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 5 56.69x
Pulham St Mary Magdalen 5 373.13x
Smallthorne 5 114.94x
St Luke London 5 8.98x
Wardleworth 5 21.23x
Workington 5 29.21x
Greasley 4 37.88x
Merthyr Tydfil 4 6.88x
Newington 4 3.12x
Paddington London 4 3.13x
Redenhall 4 193.24x
St Clement Danes 4 71.17x
St Giles In Fields 4 33.39x
Biggleswade 3 50.93x
Brighton 3 2.54x
Everton 3 2.28x
Laxfield 3 285.71x
Liverpool 3 1.20x
Rickergate 3 47.39x
Shoreditch London 3 1.99x
Willesden 3 9.17x
Beccles 2 29.37x
Bothal Demesne 2 80.97x
Farnborough 2 26.74x
Islington London 2 0.59x
Kingston On Thames 2 4.92x
Mile End Old Town 2 3.65x
Millbrook 2 11.15x
St Pancras London 2 0.72x
Aspley Guise 1 58.14x
Birmingham 1 0.34x
Birtle Cum Bamford 1 37.17x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 3.06x
Broughton In Salford 1 2.65x
Clowne 1 46.30x
Crossgate 1 22.12x
Dawlish 1 18.55x
Eastbourne 1 3.71x
Folkestone 1 4.35x
Heigham 1 3.49x
Hythe St Leonard 1 23.87x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 1 25.45x
Leyton 1 8.47x
Linthorpe 1 4.87x
Milton In Gravesend 1 5.63x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 3.73x
Normanby In 1 10.87x
Norwich St Stephen 1 20.41x
Prittlewell 1 10.53x
Queensferry 1 212.77x
Shrewsbury Holy Cross 1 30.21x
Somersham 1 204.08x
St Anne Soho London 1 5.04x
St Marylebone London 1 0.54x
Toxteth Park 1 0.72x
Walmer 1 19.42x
Walthamstow 1 4.05x
Watford 1 5.39x
Whickham 1 10.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 24
Elizabeth 15
Annie 9
Ellen 6
Sarah 6
Ada 5
Emma 5
Jane 5
Ann 4
Catherine 4
Emily 4
Margaret 4
Anne 3
Bridget 3
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Eleanor 2
Elisabeth 2
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
Laura 2
Maria 2
Minnie 2
Phoebe 2
Selina 2
Susan 2
Alexandra 1
Barnard 1
Bertha 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Celia 1
Christina 1
Clarissa 1
Edith 1
Effie 1
Elanorr 1
Elena 1
Fanny 1
Flo. 1
Florance 1
Hagal 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Honor 1
Vrnell 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
William 16
James 15
George 12
Charles 10
Arthur 6
Richard 6
Thomas 6
Michael 5
Benjamin 4
David 4
Henry 4
Patrick 4
Robert 4
Joseph 3
Alfred 2
Edward 2
Harry 2
Matthew 2
Peter 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Albert 1
Alexandra 1
Andrew 1
Anton 1
Chamberlain 1
Chas. 1
Douglas 1
Edwd. 1
Ferdind. 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Geo.E. 1
Jas.Thos. 1
Karl 1
Lewis 1
Maurice 1
Oswald 1
Ralph 1
Robt. 1
Saml. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Ruth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ruth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 364 people were recorded with the Ruth surname. That placed it at #8,525 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ruth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 597 in 2016. That gives Ruth a modern rank of #8,748.

What does the Ruth surname mean?

A surname of Hebrew origin meaning "friend" or "companion."

What does the Ruth map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ruth 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.