Show ContentsRutherforde History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Rutherforde comes from the proud Boernician clans of the Scottish-English border region. The Rutherforde family lived in the Parish of Maxton, where Rutherford was a town, near Roxburghshire. The place name Rutherford is derived from the Old English words "hryder" meaning "cattle" and "ford," which is "a shallow part of a river."

Early Origins of the Rutherforde family

The surname Rutherforde was first found in the Parish of Maxton, town of Rutherford, county Roxburghshire. The first bearers of Rutherforde on record were two knights: Gregory and Nicholas de Rutherford.

Early History of the Rutherforde family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rutherforde research. Another 267 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1215, 1249, 1285, 1296, 1361, 1411, 1413, 1448, 1451, 1493, 1506, 1552, 1577, 1580, 1582, 1600, 1661, 1664, 1695, 1779 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Rutherforde History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rutherforde Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Rutherford, Rutterford, Rudderford, Rudford and others.

Early Notables of the Rutherforde family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661), Scottish principal of St. Mary's College, St. Andrews, born about 1600 in the parish of Nisbet, now part of Crailing, Roxburghshire. 1 Andrew Rutherford (d. 1664), was a Scottish soldier of fortune, created 1st and only Earl of Teviot by Charles II; and Samuel Rutherford (ca. 1600-1661), a Scottish theologian and controversialist, born at Nisbet, Roxburghshire, educated at Edinburgh University, where he...
Another 73 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rutherforde Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Rutherforde family to Ireland

Some of the Rutherforde family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Rutherforde migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rutherforde Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • A S Rutherforde, aged 31, who arrived in Missouri in 1848 2


The Rutherforde Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Nec sorte, nec fato
Motto Translation: Neither by chance nor destiny.


  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  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)


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