Surname Rulffs - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'R'
Rulffs: What does the surname Rulffs mean?
The last name Rulffs is of German origin. It is derived from the personal name Rudolph or Rodolf, which means “renowned wolf”. This surname was popular throughout medieval Germany, finding its way into many different spellings and variations.
The Rulffs name is a patronymic name and is passed on from father to son. In some cases, it can be used as a given name. It is believed to have come to the United States from Hannover, Germany, in the mid-1700s. The first person with the name to appear in America was Johannes Rulffs, who arrived in New York in 1803. From there, the Rulffs family began to spread, eventually reaching Texas in the late 1800s.
Today, the Rulffs name exists in many forms. Some of the most common include Rulof, Ruloff, Rulfs, Ruyffs, Rutf, Rul, Ryff, and Rouf. While the origin and original spelling of the name have not always been preserved, the original meaning remains the same – “renowned wolf”.
The impressive history of the Rulffs name continues to this day. As the descendants of these renowned wolves, the duty of many Rulffs families is to carry on their Germanic heritage and pride.
Order DNA origin analysisRulffs: Where does the name Rulffs come from?
The last name Rulffs is most commonly found in Northern Germany. The modern-day cities and regions where the name Rulffs can be found are primarily in the North German states of Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Lower Saxony. Cities like Hamburg, Lüneburg, Verden, and Uelzen also have a large concentration of people who carry this surname. Rulffs is mostly a regional surname, but it is possible to find it in other regions and countries. Recent data from census records indicates that the Rulffs surname is present in other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands, Denmark, and France. There are reports of the Rulffs name appearing in the United States as well, mainly in the cities of Chicago and Providence. It is also possible to find families bearing this last name in other parts of the world, such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Variations of the surname Rulffs
Rulffs is a variation of the German surname Ruland, Rulant, and Humphrey, all of which stem from the Middle Ages and have many other variations and spellings.
Ruland is derived from the Germanic personal name Ruald, composed of the elements hruod (fame, glory) and wald (rule). The surname Ruland was present in German records as early as the 13th century and appears in a wide variety of spellings. Some of these variants include Ruelnd (German), Rolang (German), Rooland (German), Rouland (French/German), Ruelland (German) as well as Rule, Roelen, and Ruelin.
The surname Humphrey derives from the Old German personal name Hunfrid, composed of the elements hun (bear) and frith (protection). Spellings of this name have evolved over time and Humphrey can be found in records as both a surname and a given name. Variants include Hunfrid, Hunfery, Hunfee, Hunfry, Hunfrye, Hunfryd, Humfrey, Humfrid, Humfred, and Oumfray.
In addition, the surname Rulffs has also evolved, and can be found with many additional spellings in records. These include Rulofs, Ruulfs, Rulfs, Ruloff, Roulfs (German), Rolf (German), Rudolph, and Rouwlfs (German). Whether Rulffs, Ruland, Humphrey or any of their variants, these surnames are connected and all stem from the same origin.
Famous people with the name Rulffs
- Antje Rulffs: German actress
- Christian Rulffs: German musician
- Christina Rulffs: Swiss painter
- Annabell Rulffs: German TV anchor
- Sven Rulffs: German football manager
- Walter Rulffs: German Olympic rower
- Brad Rulffs: US soccer player
- Philipp Rulffs: German historian
- Sigrid Rulffs: German politician
- Annelene Rulffs: Dutch writer
- Uwe Rulffs: German cricket player
- Harald Rulffs: German rower
- Barbie Rulffs: German video artist
- Lars Rulffs: Danish jazz pianist
- Carlos Rulffs: Portuguese-Swedish designer
- Isaac Rulffs: American artist
- Frank Rulffs: German jurist
- Sigurd Rulffs: Norwegian journalist
- Gabriel Rulffs: German ice hockey player
- Horst Rulffs: German painter