Ruby History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Thousands of German settlers came to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. The hardships of the long voyage were balanced by the opportunity to escape poverty and religious persecution. The descendents of these settlers still populate the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also live in Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Ruby or a variant listed above:

Ruby Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Peter Ruby, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1738 3
• Casper Ruby, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1748 3

Ruby Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Michael Ruby, who arrived in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1833 3
• Anthelme Ruby, who landed in New York, NY in 1834 3
• Mr. Josiah Ruby, (b. 1828), aged 23, Cornish miner departing from Penzance aboard the ship "Mountaineer" arriving in the United States on 30 April 1851 4
• Franz Ruby, who arrived in Kentucky in 1890 3

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ruby Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• Ann Ruby, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
• Barta Ruby, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750

Ruby Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• John Ruby, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1843

Ruby Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Miss Mary Ruby, (b. 1798), aged 16, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Broxbournebury" in January 1814, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
• James Ruby, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Constance" in 1848 6

Ruby Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Mrs. Jane Ruby, (b. 1844), aged 30, Cornish settler departing on 16th November 1874 aboard the ship "Rakaia" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 7th February 1875 7
• Mr. John C. Ruby, (b. 1846), aged 28, Cornish farm labourer departing on 16th November 1874 aboard the ship "Rakaia" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 7th February 1875 7

• Joseph Clemens "Joe" Ruby (1933-2020), American animator, television editor, writer, and producer
• Lloyd Ruby (1928-2009), American racecar driver, inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2015)
• Jack Leon Ruby (1911-1967), born Jacob Leon Rubenstein, American nightclub operator who shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald, convicted of the murder but died died of a pulmonary embolism in prison
• Harry Ruby (1895-1974), Jewish-American composer and screenwriter, a good friend of Groucho Marx, inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970, remembered for his songs Who's Sorry Now? (1923), I Wanna Be Loved by You (1928), Nevertheless (1931) and many more
• Clayton Charles Ruby CM (1942-2022), Canadian lawyer and activist, 60th Treasurer of the Law Society of Upper Canada in 2006
• Sébastien Ruby, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 8
• Karine Ruby (1978-2009), French seven-time gold medalist snowboarder, killed while on the descent of Mont Blanc
• Ruby Dagnall (b. 2000), Norwegian actress who has won two Amanda Awards
• Ruby May Stokes (b. 2000), English actress, known for her roles in Una (2016), Rocks (2019), and A Banquet (2021)
• Ruby Stutts Lyells (1908-1994), born Ruby Elizabeth Stutts, an American librarian and the first African-American professional librarian in Mississippi