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Ruhr Family History

Ruhr Surname Meaning

German:: topographic name from any of several field names in Westphalia and Rhineland.

Possibly an occupational name for someone who worked with a pack of hounds.

From Middle High German rour(e) ‘pack (of hounds)‘.

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


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Where is the Ruhr family from?

You can see how Ruhr families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ruhr family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Ruhr families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 21 Ruhr families living in Saskatchewan. This was about 78% of all the recorded Ruhr's in Canada. Saskatchewan had the highest population of Ruhr families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ruhr surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Ruhr ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Ruhr. 100% of Ruhr men worked as a Farmer.

View Census Data for Ruhr | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    100%

What Ruhr family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Ruhr. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ruhr census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Ruhr

Passenger Lists

There are 650 immigration records available for the last name Ruhr. 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 Ruhr immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Ruhr. For the veterans among your Ruhr ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ruhr military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ruhr family history

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What is the average Ruhr lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Ruhr life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1975, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Ruhr in 1963 was 69, and 90 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ruhr

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ruhr ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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