Ruffell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Ruffell surname is derived from the Latin personal (first) name Rufinus, which gained early popularity as the name of a few minor Saints.

Early Origins of the Ruffell family

The surname Ruffell was first found in Kent where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1203 when they held estates.

Early History of the Ruffell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ruffell research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1203, 1296, 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Ruffell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ruffell Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Ruffin, Ruffyn, Ruffie, Ruffey, Ruffy, Ruffing and many more.

Early Notables of the Ruffell family

More information is included under the topic Early Ruffell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ruffell migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ruffell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Will Ruffell, who landed in Virginia in 1664 1

Ruffell migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Ruffell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. George Ruffell, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Barossa" on 8th December 1839, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 2

Ruffell migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Ruffell Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

David Ruffell, aged 29, a bricklayer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oxford" in 1874
Emma Ruffell, aged 22, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oxford" in 1874

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barossa