Show ContentsRuben History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The German state of Bavaria is the ancestral home of the Ruben family. Ruben is a local name, first used as a surname for someone who lived in Bavaria, where the family gained a significant reputation for its contributions to the emerging medieval society.

Early Origins of the Ruben family

The surname Ruben was first found in Bavaria, where the family gained a significant reputation for its contributions to the emerging mediaeval society. The name became prominent as many branches of the family founded separate houses and acquired estates in various regions, always elevating their social status by their great contributions to society. In the Middle Ages, the word "Rubin" referred to a type of gem. Individual bearers of the name first mentioned in ancient chronicles include Richter Rubynus of Bruenn in 1240 and Nicolas Rubein (Rubin) of Munich in 1343. Also, a popular medieval minstrel of Tyrol bore the name Rubin. He was of the minor nobility, had his home in Merano, wrote 22 songs, and participated in the crusade of 1228.

Early History of the Ruben family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ruben research. Another 166 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1752 and 1760 are included under the topic Early Ruben History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ruben 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 Ruben include Rubin, Rubein, Rubinus, Ruben, Ruebin, Rubinich, Rubinig, Rubinick and many more.

Early Notables of the Ruben family

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

Ruben Ranking

In the United States, the name Ruben is the 9,776th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1]


United States Ruben migration to the United States +

European migration to North America began in the mid-17th century and continued unabated until the mid-20th. Many Bavarians made the long trip to escape poverty or persecution based on their religious beliefs. The chance for tenant farmers to own their own land was also a major drawing card. They settled all across the United States in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many came to Canada also, settling in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Analysis of immigration records has shown some of the first Rubens to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Ruben Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Julius Ruben, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 [2]
Ruben Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Harris Ruben, who landed in Texas in 1850-1906 [2]
  • Charles Ruben, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1876 [2]
  • Leonard Ruben, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1880

Contemporary Notables of the name Ruben (post 1700) +

  • Albert Ruben (b. 1918), prominent artist in New Orleans
  • Henrik Ruben Genz (b. 1959), Danish Academy Award nominated film director
  • Major-General Ernst Ruben Lagus (1896-1959), Finnish General Officer Commanding 2nd Division (1945-1947) [3]
  • Ruben Ostlund (b. 1974), Swedish filmmaker best known for his work on Force Majeure (2014), The Square (2017) and Triangle of Sadness (2022), winning awards at the Cannes Film Festival, the later earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay, with the film itself being nominated for Best Picture
  • Ruben Östlund (b. 1974), Swedish filmmaker best known for his work on Force Majeure (2014), The Square (2017) and Triangle of Sadness (2022), winning awards at the Cannes Film Festival,the later earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay, with the film itself being nominated for Best Picture
  • Ruben Östlund (b. 1974), Swedish filmmaker best known for his work on Force Majeure (2014), The Square (2017) and Triangle of Sadness (2022), winning awards at the Cannes Film Festival, the later earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay, with the film itself being nominated for Best Picture
  • Ruben Francisco Ortega Jr., American politician, Arizona state representative
  • Ruben Altunyan (1939-2021), Armenian composer and conductor
  • Ruben T. Reyes (1939-2021), Filipino jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 2007 to 2009
  • Ruben Blommaert (b. 1992), Belgian pair skater who competes for Germany, winner of the 2013 Cup of Nice and 2013 German national title


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 5) Ernst Lagus. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Lagus/Ernst_Ruben/Finland.html


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