Ruhe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The ancestral home of the Ruhe family is in the German province of Bavaria. Ruhe is a German nickname surname. Such names came from eke-names, or added names, that described their initial bearer through reference to a physical characteristic or other attribute. It is a name for a shaggy or unkempt person, stemming from the German word "rauch," meaning "rough, hairy." As with many early names such as this, the reference was often in jest. More likely, the origin is in reference to the smoke generated by smithies and thereby would be a trade name. The name was translated to English when the first settlers immigrated to North America, giving rise to such variations as "Smoak" or "Smoke."

Early Origins of the Ruhe family

The surname Ruhe was first found in Bavaria, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. Literally, the name refers to the smoke generated by smithies. For instance, a smith in Zurich was known as "Meister Roeuchli," literally "Mister Smoke," around 1468. The various branches of the Rauch and Raeuchlin families declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region.

Early History of the Ruhe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ruhe research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1522, 1740, 1743, 1745, 1808 and 1814 are included under the topic Early Ruhe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ruhe Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Ruhe include Raucher, Rauche, Raeuchlin, Reuchlin, Raeuchle, Rauck, Raucker, Raucke, Rauk, Rauker, Rauke, Smoak, Smoke, Ruch and many more.

Early Notables of the Ruhe family

Prominent among members of the name Ruhe in this period include Johannes Reuchlin (1455-1522), who was, together with his friend Erasmus, the driving force behind the German Renaissance. He began as a lawyer in the service of the Duke of Wuerttemberg, became a judge of...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ruhe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ruhe migration to the United States +

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 Ruhe or a variant listed above:

Ruhe Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Gerh Ruhe, who arrived in America in 1838 1
Charles Ruhe, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1854 1
William Ruhe, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1854 1
Henry Ruhe, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1855 1
Heinrich Ruhe, who landed in America in 1871 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Ruhe (post 1700) +

Charles H. Ruhe, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Pennsylvania, 1916 2
Barbara J. Ruhe, American Republican politician, Candidate for Connecticut State Senate 1st District, 2008, 2010 2
Augustus L. Ruhe, American politician, Postmaster at Allentown, Pennsylvania, 1841-44 2
Martin Ruhe, German cinematographer
Volker Rühe (b. 1942), German politician, former German Defence Minister

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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html