Surname Ruhs - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'R'
Ruhs: What does the surname Ruhs mean?
The last name Ruhs is of German origin. It is a metonymic occupational name derived from the Middle High German term "ruhsam", which means "hasty" or "rash". This might have been used to designate someone known for their rushed or impulsive behavior. Like many surnames, it would have started out as a nickname or a job descriptor, which eventually became a hereditary surname. It is also possible that in some instances, the surname might have been originated from other words with different meanings in the local dialect. However, the specific details can vary greatly from one family to another, as surnames were often adopted based on characteristics, traits or occupations. Please note, meanings of surnames can be speculative.
Order DNA origin analysisRuhs: Where does the name Ruhs come from?
The last name Ruhs is most commonly found in Germany today. It has been found that this last name was originally an occupational name, derived from either the Middle High German word 'roh' meaning carpenter, or the Middle High German word 'ruosi' meaning ferryman.
The majority of Ruhs' found in Germany today are descended from ancestors living in the Thuringian region around Bad Frankenhausen, which is situated in the central part of the country, around the states of Thuringia and Hesse.
Furthermore, records of this last name have also been found in the Erfurt region, Rhon-Grabfeld district of Bavaria which is also located in the central part of Germany, as well as in Nordhausen, Saxony-Anhalt.
The increase of Germany's population and the subsequent need to differentiate between similarly named families eventually led to the adoption of hereditary surnames. During this time, many German last names were derived from occupation, location, personal feature or traits, and other personal characteristics.
Today, many people called Ruhs are residing all across Germany in areas such as Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, and Dortmund. Additionally, they can be found in smaller numbers in some parts of Switzerland and France, as well as in the United States of America, where they migrated from Germany during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Variations of the surname Ruhs
The surname Ruhs can be spelled in several different ways due to regional differences. In Germany, the most common variants are Ruhs, Ruhse, and Rohse; in Austria, it is usually spelled Ruhs or Ruß; in Switzerland, it is often spelled Rüss or Rühss; in the United States, it is typically spelled Rhue, Ruhes, or Ruiz.
There are also several other variants of the Ruhs surname, depending on the language or dialect. In northern Europe, such as Germany and Denmark, the spelling of Ruhs can change to Rues, Rueds, Ruesch, and Ruede. In southern Europe, such as Spain and Portugal, the spelling of Ruhs can become Rues, Ruiz, Ruez, and Ruiz-Ruhs. In some Slavic countries, such as the Czech Republic and Poland, the surname can also become Rǔha and Rǔhǔ.
Within the German language, there are some regional surnames that are derived from the Ruhs surname, which are commonly found only in specific German states. These names include Rufs, Ruffes, Rauhs, Roos, and Rohr.
The Ruhs surname is also found in other countries, both as a native name and as a surname of immigrant origin. In the United States, some of the variants of the Ruhs surname include Rhude, Rhues, Rehue, Rehu, Reehus, Reehs, Rhey, and Rhue. In Mexico, some of the variants of the Ruhs surname include Ruz, Roques, and Rojás. In Argentina, names derived from Ruhs include Ruiz and Rus. In Canada, variants of the Ruhs surname include Rhuiz, Roes, Rous, and Ruez.
Overall, the surname Ruhs has many (over a dozen) different spelling variants, ranging from the more traditional variants to regional and language-specific variants. All of these spellings can be traced back to the same root source.
Famous people with the name Ruhs
- Mark Ruhs: former NASCAR driver from Toledo, Ohio
- James Ruhs: Emmy Award-winning lighting designer and photographer
- Matt Ruhs: major league baseball pitcher
- Adrienne Ruhs: actress and model
- Bob Ruhs: professional wine maker and winemaker's consultant
- Caroline Ruhs: 2016 American Olympic bronze medalist in alpine skiing
- Paul Ruhs: German mechanic and automobile manufacturer
- Lisa Ruhs: lawyer and academic
- Jordan Ruhs: singer and songwriter
- Johannes Ruhs: German-born Australian archaeologist and anthropologist