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Rufus Family History

Rufus Name Meaning

English: variant of Ruff (see Rough ) with post-medieval excrescent -(e)s. The spelling of the surname has been modified to look like the personal name Rufus which came into vernacular use in England in the 19th century. This personal name however may be the origin of the surname among African Americans (see 3 below). African (mainly Nigeria) and probably also African American: from the personal name Rufus borne by various minor early Christian saints. Originally it was a Latin nickname for someone with red hair (see 2 above). Slovak (mainly Rúfus): nickname for a red-haired man from Latin rufus ‘red(dish) red-haired’.

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


Similar surnames: Russ, Ruffo, Rus, Reus, Duffus, Rafuse, Rubin, Raus, Rufer, Tufts

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Where is the Rufus family from?

You can see how Rufus families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rufus family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rufus families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 15 Rufus families living in Nova Scotia. This was about 37% of all the recorded Rufus's in Canada. Nova Scotia had the highest population of Rufus families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rufus 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 Rufus ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Rufus. 40% of Rufus men worked as a Laborer and 16% of Rufus women worked as a Laborer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rufus were Janitor and Maid. .

View Census Data for Rufus | 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
    40%
  • Farmer
    22%
  • Miner
    4%
  • Janitor
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    16%
  • Cook
    14%
  • Laundress
    11%
  • Maid
    11%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Rufus family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Rufus. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rufus census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Rufus

Passenger Lists

There are 659 immigration records available for the last name Rufus. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Rufus. For the veterans among your Rufus ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Rufus lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Rufus life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Rufus in 1961 was 37, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rufus

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