Surname Ruce - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'R'
Ruce: What does the surname Ruce mean?
The surname Ruce is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is a locational name derived from Rue, a town in Somme, France. Early records suggest it might be an anglicised version of similar sounding European surnames. This name gradually evolved into its modern form due to centuries of usage, phonetic spelling and regional dialect. Locational surnames were originally given to the lord of the estate or to people who left their place of origin to settle elsewhere and were then best identified through the name of their birthplace. The Ruce family were among the many new settlers in the ancient history of England following the Norman Conquest in 1066. As with many surnames, the specific interpretation of "Ruce" may differ based on regional and cultural transformations over time.
Order DNA origin analysisRuce: Where does the name Ruce come from?
The last name Ruce is found in several countries around the world, with its place of origin being believed to be Spain.
It is most common in Spain, followed by the Philippines, where it is found among people of Spanish descent. It is also found in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary, and Argentina. Additionally, the name is found in the United States in states with large Spanish and/or Latino populations, such as California, Texas, Florida, and New Mexico.
In Spain, the name appears to be most common in the Basque regions of the country, particularly Vizcaya and Navarra. It is also fairly common in Barcelona and Madrid as well.
In the United States, the name is scattered throughout the country, although it appears to be particularly concentrated in California, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Florida—all of which are home to large populations of people from Latin American and/or Spanish descent.
Overall, the last name Ruce is not especially common; according to one source, it is the 76,784th most common surname in the world. However, with its roots in several different countries, it is not an especially rare surname either.
Variations of the surname Ruce
The surname Ruce can be spelled as Ruze, Ruce or Ruzey. It is of Germanic origin and derived from the Old German term 'ruz', meaning 'impetuous'. Other variants of the surname Ruce include Rudz, Rutt, Rizzo, Rutter, Ruter, Rooter, Rude and Rousse. Ruce is most commony seen as a French, German and English surname. It is mostly found in countries where German-speaking populations are primarily found.
Ruce is also the anglicized form of several different Irish names including Ruadh, which is derived from the Gaelic word ruadh meaning red, Ruaidh, meaning famous or red, Ruaidhrí, meaning red king, and Ruaraidh, meaning red king. The Irish Bernardino Ruadh MacNamee also gave rise to the Ruadh form of Ruce.
Ruce is also an Americanized spelling of the surname Rojas, which is of Spanish origin derived from rodjas meaning 'jawline'. Other variants of Rojas include Ruiz, Ruiz de Casanova and Ruiz de Toledo. Other variations of the Spanish surname include Ruiso, Ruiz-Maza, Rousso, Ruiz López and Rusho.
In addition to Germanic, Irish and Spanish origins, some families with the surname Ruce hail from Portugal. There, it is derived from the Portuguese term roce, meaning 'branch'. This version of the surname would have been brought to Northern Europe by Portuguese merchants and is now seen in Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Holland and England.
Other spellings and surnames with the same origin as Ruce include Roos, Ruise, Roise and Rusz.
Famous people with the name Ruce
- Joe Rukcewicz: Former U.S. Congressman from Indiana.
- Clare Boothe Luce: playwright, journalist, and ambassador.
- Sophia Luce-Raquin: French actress.
- Alexandra Ruce Nores: Argentine-born film director.
- Carlo Ruce: Italian actor.
- Rick Ruce: Baseball coach.
- Luca Ruce: Italian footballer.
- Mirko Ruce: Croatian basketball player.
- Alphonso Ruce: former professional boxer.
- Niko Ruce: Croatian footballer.
- Madeleine Ruce: Belgian judoka.
- Clea Ruce: Spanish actress.
- Nick Ruce: former Australian paralympic swimmer.
- Katherine Ruce: British dressage rider.
- David Ruce: Spanish volleyball player.
- William Ruce: British composer.
- Steve Ruce: American sprinter.
- Stanislav Ruce: former Slovenian footballer.
- Brett Rockwood Ruce: American actor.
- Thomas Ruce: American painter.