Surname Ruffert - Meaning and Origin
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Ruffert: What does the surname Ruffert mean?
The last name Ruffert is likely of German origin and is derived from the old German term ruper, meaning “one who roars”. It is believed to have been given as a surname to one who was known for being loud or boisterous. It has also been suggested to mean “one from the red hill” or “one from the red fort.”
In modern times, the last name Ruffert is especially common in the United States, and many Americans with this surname can trace their ancestry to German immigrants. The surname has also been spelled in various ways, including Ruffert, Riffert, Riffere, and Rufer.
In addition to its German origins, the name Ruffert could also have Jewish roots. Records indicate that a Jewish family named Rufert existed in the German city of Frankfurt am Main in the 17th century. It is possible that the name was adopted by the family as an adaptation of the German name.
The surname Ruffert is still in use today and is associated with many different people from various backgrounds across the world. Some notable people with the last name include the American baseball player Chris Ruffert, as well as Emma Ruffert, a German businesswoman and investor.
Order DNA origin analysisRuffert: Where does the name Ruffert come from?
The last name Ruffert is most commonly found in Germany today. The name has been around for centuries and is still quite common in the region. It appears that the origin of the surname lies in the West German states, particularly in the Rhineland region, and it is likely associated with the German word for 'red'.
The Ruffert name first appears in records in the 13th century, when a Werner Ruffert is mentioned in a listing of citizens of Cologne. The name then appears intermittently in various church records across the region over the following centuries. The name eventually grew more prevalent in the region and spread out, with the Ruffert name popping up all across Germany, Austria, Switzerland and even as far as the Czech Republic and Poland.
Today, the most common iterations of the Ruffert surname are found in Germany, especially in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and Rhineland-Palatinate. Rufferts have also been known to be prominent in the United States and Canada, primarily amongst German-American or Canadian-German families.
The Ruffert name remains quite popular and is a reminder of how closely interwoven our families are across Europe and North America, even centuries on.
Variations of the surname Ruffert
Ruffert is a surname of German origin. It is an occupational name, derived from the Middle High German word “ruffert”, which means “guardian or custodian”. The variants and spellings of this surname are Rufer, Ruedfer, Rufert, Rueffert, Ruffer, Ruffert, Rufferth, Ruffort, and Rufforth.
The spelling variations of this surname, caused by the frequent transliteration of the German language from the script of one language to another, make it difficult to identify the exact origin of the name. For instance, in many of the earliest records of the name, the spelling appears as “Rufer”, which is closer to its original German spelling.
Ruffert is also spelled as Ruffer in some records, and this is a variation bearing an even closer resemblance to the origin of the name. Additionally, the name is sometimes anglicized to produce a more phonetically acceptable version, such as Ruffort, Rufforth or Rufferth.
The variation in spelling of the name Ruffert over the years has resulted in many different branches of the family adopting different surname spellings. For example, the Ruffer family of New England is separate from the Rufer family of Germany.
Overall, Ruffert is an occupational surname derived from the Middle High German word “ruffert,” which means guardian or custodian. Variants and spellings of the surname vary slightly, with Rufer and Ruffer being the most common. Variations of the spelling have also resulted in other surnames, such as Ruffort, Rufforth, and Rufferth.
Famous people with the name Ruffert
- Holger Ruffert: Holger Ruffert is a German professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for 1. FC Union Berlin.
- Anna M. Ruffert: Anna M. Ruffert is a famous Austrian pedagogue, theologian, author and professor at the University of Erfurt. She is a well-known expert in early childhood education and religious education.
- Diane Ruffert: Diane Ruffert is an American artist, art educator and philanthropist. She is the founder of the "Art to Heart" national program, an arts-based learning initiative for schools and youth organizations.
- Nicole Ruffert: Nicole Ruffert is a German athlete, competing in the sport of athletics. She is a former national champion in the 400 metres and currently holds the German record in the event outdoors.
- Christian Ruffert: Christian Ruffert is a former German Olympic footballer who represented his country at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona and played in Bundesliga.
- Matthias Ruffert: Matthias Ruffert is a former German professional footballer who played as a striker. He is best remembered for winning the Bundesliga's top scorer award in 2001–02.
- Nick Ruffert: Nick Ruffert is an American TV series and film producer. He’s produced episodes of “Veep”, “The Good Fight”, “The West Wing”, and “The Wire”, among many other notable works.
- Logan Ruffert: Logan Ruffert is a professional beach volleyball player who represented Canada at the 2016 Olympic Games. He currently plays for the AVP Pro Tour and is the 2018 Canadian Beach Volleyball Player of the Year.