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Ruef Family History

Ruef Name Meaning

South German and Swiss German: variant of Rueff (see Rudolf ).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Rueff, Ruen, Rueb, Rudi, Rief, Reef, Reif, Ruff, Naef, Riff

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Ruef family from?

You can see how Ruef families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ruef family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Ruef families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there was 1 Ruef family living in Quebec. This was 100% of all the recorded Ruef's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Ruef families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ruef surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Ruef ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Ruef. 32% of Ruef men worked as a Laborer and 22% of Ruef women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ruef were Lawyer and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Ruef | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    32%
  • Farmer
    28%
  • Proprietor
    14%
  • Lawyer
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    22%
  • Housekeeper
    22%
  • Housework
    15%
  • Stenographer
    15%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Ruef family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Ruef. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ruef census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Ruef

Passenger Lists

There are 671 immigration records available for the last name Ruef. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ruef immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 692 military records available for the last name Ruef. For the veterans among your Ruef ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ruef military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ruef family history

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What is the average Ruef lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2003, in the United States, Ruef life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1972, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Ruef in 1963 was 71, and 75 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ruef

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