Surname Rough - Meaning and Origin
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Rough: What does the surname Rough mean?
The surname Rough is of Scottish and English origin and is derived from an Old Norse word "hrukr" which means the "crupper of a horse", a piece of tack that is placed or fastened in the hindquarters of a horse. This term was used as a nickname in a humorous or affectionate sense for someone with a sturdy or robust constitution. Thus, the surname may suggest that its original bearer was marked by physical strength or toughness. There are several variations of the name, including Ruff, Ruoff, Roffe, Roof, and Roaf. It's also important to note that the meaning of a surname can differ depending on cultural and regional factors.
Order DNA origin analysisRough: Where does the name Rough come from?
The Rough surname is primarily found in the United Kingdom, but has spread to many other countries throughout the world. In the UK, it is most commonly found in areas such as Scotland, Ireland, South Wales, and parts of Lancashire. Rough is a fairly common surname, ranking 88,330th in popularity according to surname data from the website Forebears.
There are a number of theories about the origin of the Rough surname. Some believe it to be derived from the Old English words "ruh" and "roughe" which can mean "rough ground," a rough stature, or even a rough disposition in temperament. Other researchers think that it has Scottish-Gaelic roots, with a variety of spellings, including "Ruch," "Ruagh," and "Ruach."
The Rough surname appears to have been in use since at least the 16th century in the UK. Locations where the surname Rough can still be found include Scotland, England, Canada, and the United States. A search of records from the United States Census Bureau reveals that roughly 7,000 Americans went by the surname Rough in the year 2000.
The Rough surname is still a common name today as it has spread throughout the world. As with most surnames, the degree of its frequency varies across geographical regions, and my race or ethnicity. It is generally fair to say that the surname Rough is still a common surname with people of British and Irish ancestry.
Variations of the surname Rough
The variant spellings of the surname Rough can include Rough, Roughe, Roughs, Rogh, Roghs, Roughes, Roughie, Roughy, Roughey, Rowe and Rough. These variant spellings are historically derived from a Medieval period of British history and come from the Old English word "ruh", which was a nickname for someone who was uncouth, awkward or wild. It could also be a topographical name for someone who lived near a stream, ravine or deep valley, reflecting the geography of the area.
Rough is also the patronymic form of the surname Rowe, which itself is derived from the Old French title ‘rou’, or ‘roi’ meaning ‘king’. This was a title most commonly given to the local headman or village chief, and people related to him.
Rouhg is also a variant of the Irish surname Roughan. This surname originated from the Irish term ‘ruadhach’, meaning ‘red’ or ‘red-haired’. This surname was typically given to someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion, or to someone who was related to someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion.
The Jewish surname ‘Rohg’ or ‘Rog’ is likely a diminutive of the Yiddish word ‘rozh’, which means ‘red’. It may have originally referred to someone who had red hair, but it is also possible that it was used to refer to someone from a place called ‘Ruhg’, or ‘Rohg’ (which is possibly derived from the Old German word ‘roh’, which means ‘rugged land’).
Overall, the surname Rough has several variant spellings and a handful of other surnames of the same origin.
Famous people with the name Rough
- Robert Rough, former Canadian politician
- Rob Rough, English football player
- Patrick Bernard Rough, Canadian playwright
- Richard Rough, English photographer
- Alexander Rough, Scottish war artist
- Andrew Rough, Scottish professional golfer
- James Rough, former American football player
- Joseph Rough, American Major League Baseball pitcher
- Jack Rough, English footballer
- Adam Rough, Canadian ice hockey player
- Luke Rough, Canada/Australia ski mountaineer
- Geoffrey Rough, Australian ballet dancer
- Matthew Rough, Australian Olympic gymnast
- Arthur Rough, English rugby player
- George Rough, English actor
- Francis Rough, Canadian soldier
- Kelly Rough, Canadian soccer player
- Jeffrey Rough, English philosopher
- Wendy Rough, Canadian figure skater
- John Rough, Canadian violinist
- Margaret Rough, Canadian curator