Show ContentsRuttledge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Ruttledge family

The surname Ruttledge was first found in Cumberland, at Routledge where three eminent historians claimed the place at one time existed. 1 2 3

"Lower, Bardsley, and Harrison say this name is from Routledge in Cumberland, but I cannot find the place. It is not in Sedgefield's Place-names of Cumberland and Westmorland. The surname is more English than Scottish, though several of the name are early found north of the Border. " 4

Early History of the Ruttledge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ruttledge research. Another 220 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1483, 1494, 1528, 1537, 1628, 1643, 1713, 1715, 1739, 1743, 1750, 1762, 1772, 1779, 1782, 1794, 1795, 1800, 1812, 1827, 1833, 1836, 1837, 1841, 1843, 1888 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Ruttledge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ruttledge Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Rutledge, Routlege, Routlidge, Routledge, Rutlidge and many more.

Early Notables of the Ruttledge family

Notable amongst the family at this time was John Rutledge (1739- 1800), an American Founding Father, politician, and jurist, 2nd Chief Justice of the United States (1795), 31st Governor of South Carolina (1779-1782), son of Irish immigrant John Rutledge Sr. (1713-1750), a physician.James or John James Rutledge (1743-1794), Scottish publicist, was the grandson of an Irish Jacobite who settled in France, and was son of Walter Rutledge (d. 1779), a banker and shipowner at Dunkirk, who assisted the Pretender in his expedition of 1715, and was consequently created a Baronet by him. James accordingly styled himself 'chevalier' or 'baronet.' Born, probably...
Another 285 words (20 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ruttledge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Ruttledge family to Ireland

Some of the Ruttledge family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 84 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


New Zealand Ruttledge 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:

Ruttledge Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • James Ruttledge, aged 31, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Accrington" in 1863 5
  • Julia Ruttledge, aged 30, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Accrington" in 1863 5
  • Eveline Ruttledge, aged 5, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Accrington" in 1863 5
  • Lyndon Ruttledge, aged 4, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Accrington" in 1863 5
  • Edwin Ruttledge, aged 3 months, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Accrington" in 1863 5


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  4. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  5. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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