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Ruel History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Ruel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Germany

The name Ruel dates back to the days of Medieval France, in the region of Normandy. It is derived from their residence in Normandy. However, the name Ruell is derived from the Old French word ruelle, meaning lane or alley, and indicates that the original bearer lived in such a place.

Early Origins of the Ruel family

The surname Ruel was first found in Normandy (French: Normandie), the former Duchy of Normandy, where this eminent family held a family seat in the honor of the seigneurie of Launay. This north country family lived almost exclusively in the provinces of Normandy, Brittany, Picardy, Artois, and Flanders.

Early History of the Ruel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ruel research. Another 59 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1452, 1518, 1570, 1625, 1630, 1643, 1658, 1725 and 1785 are included under the topic Early Ruel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ruel Spelling Variations

French surnames were subject to numerous alterations in spelling because of the various cultural groups that inhabited specific regions. Eventually, each region possessed its own local dialect of the French language. The early development of the French language, however, was also influenced by other languages. For example, Old French was infused with Germanic words and sounds when barbarian tribes invaded and settled in France after the fall of the Roman Empire. Middle French also borrowed heavily from the Italian language during the Renaissance. As a result of these linguistic and cultural influences, the name Ruel is distinguished by a number of regional variations. The many spelling variations of the name include Rueil, Ruel, de Ruel, De Ruel, du Ruel, Du Ruel, Ruell, Ruelle, Ruelles, Desruelles, de Ruell, De Ruell, Rueil, Rueill, Roulier and many more.

Early Notables of the Ruel family

Notable amongst the family in this period was

Pierre de la Rue (c.1452-1518), a Franco-Flemish composer and singer of the Renaissance; Pieter de Ruelles (1630-1658), a Dutch Golden Age landscape painter who died young; and Charles de La Rue (1643...
Juan de Roelas, de las Roelas or Ruela (c. 1570-1625) born in Flanders, he spent his entire documented career in Spain. He was a pivotal artist in the evolution of the history of painting in Seville

Ruel World Ranking

In the United States, the name Ruel is the 10,989^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in Quebec, Canada, the name Ruel is ranked the 418^th most popular surname. 2 And in France, the name Ruel is the 2,768^th popular surname with an estimated 2,000 - 2,500 people with that name. 3

Ruel migration to the United States +

In 1643, 109 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 people in Quebec, in 1663 there were only 500, 2,000 migrants arrived during the next decade. Early marriage was desperately encouraged amongst the immigrants. Youths of 18 took fourteen-year-old girls for their wives. The fur trade was developed and attracted migrants, both noble and commoner from France. 15,000 explorers left Montreal in the late 17th and 18th centuries. Migration from France to New France or Quebec as it was now more popularly called, continued from France until it fell in 1759. By 1675, there were 7000 French in Quebec. By the same year the Acadian presence in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island had reached 500. In 1755, 10,000 French Acadians refused to take an oath of allegiance to England and were deported to Louisiana. Meanwhile, in Quebec, the French race flourished, founding in Lower Canada, one of the two great solitudes which became Canada. Many distinguished contributions have been made by members of this family name Ruel. It has been prominent in the arts, religion, politics and culture in France and New France. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Ruel were

Ruel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Nicklaus Ruel, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1752 4

Ruel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Antonio Ruel, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1867 4
Durand Ruel, aged 27, who landed in America from Paris, in 1893

Ruel Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Jos. Durand Ruel, aged 42, who settled in America from Paris, in 1904
Mrs. Jos.Durand Ruel, aged 34, who immigrated to America from Paris, in 1904
Pierre Ruel, aged 5, who landed in America from Paris, in 1904
George Durand Ruel, aged 39, who immigrated to the United States from Paris, in 1905
Andre Ruel, aged 28, who immigrated to the United States from Paris, France, in 1910
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ruel migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ruel Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

Clément Ruel, son of Jacques and Marguerite, who married Marguerite Leclerc, daughter of Jean and Marie, in Sainte-Famille-de-l'île-d'Orléans, Quebec on 22nd November 1677 5

Ruel Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Jean Ruel, son of Jean and Jeanne, who married Marthe Fournier, daughter of Pierre and Marie, in Contrecoeur, Quebec on 28th April 1713 5
Henri Ruel, son of Clément and Marguerite, who married Anne Prou, daughter of Jean and Jacques, in Saint-Thomas, Quebec on 30th october 1720 5
Ignace Ruel, son of Ignace and Geneviève, who married Élisabeth Paquet, daughter of Antoine and Geneviève, in Saint-Laurent-de-l'île-d'Orléans, Quebec on 9th November 1750 5
Jean-Baptiste Ruel, son of Pierre and Marie, who married Geneviève Lacroix, daughter of Gabriel and Marie-Anne-Agnès, in Saint-Michel, Quebec on 26th October 1750 5
Jean-Baptiste Ruel, son of Ignace and Geneviève, who married Angélique Labrecque, daughter of Joseph and Geneviève, in Saint-Laurent-de-l'île-d'Orléans, Quebec on 26th February 1753 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ruel Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Edward Ruel, aged 48, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Sarah" from Bristol, England
Mary Ruel, aged 42, a lady, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Sarah" from Bristol, England
John Ruel, aged 16, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Sarah" from Bristol, England
James Ruel, aged 15, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Sarah" from Bristol, England

Contemporary Notables of the name Ruel (post 1700) +

Professional Sailor Michael Ruel Captain, Circumnavigated the world 2016 6
Golden Pat Ruel (b. 1950), American football offensive line coach
Herold Dominic "Muddy" Ruel (1896-1963), American professional baseball player, coach, manager and general manager
Paul Durand Ruel (1831-1922), French art dealer
Pierre de Ruel (1752-1821), marquis de Beurnonville, was a French general during the French Revolutionary Wars
Olivier Ruel (b. 1981), one of the most successful French professional Magic: The Gathering players
Claude Ruel (1938-2015), Canadian head coach for the National Hockey League Montreal Canadiens
Augustin-Guillaume Ruel (1805-1871), Canadian notary and political figure
Otis Ruel Redinger (1896-1969), American professional NFL football player who played one season for the Canton Bulldogs in 1925
Ruel B. Fuller, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Maine, 1884 7

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 2, Institut Drouin, 1958.
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, October 5) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html