Rule History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Germany 
  Ireland 
  Scotland 


The Rule surname evolved from two sources. In some instances, it came from the medieval personal name Roul. It was also a habitational name derived from "the lands of Rule, now included in the parish of Hobkirk, Roxburghshire. The territory in turn derives its name from the Water of Rule, an affluent of the Teviot. Retween 1214 and 1249 (REG., 148), we find Alan de Rule, Richard de Rule, and Thomas de Rule appearing as witnesses to charters. Adam de Roule and Thomas de Roule, both of the county of Rokesburk, rendered homage in 1296." 1

Other sources postulate the name could have been from "St. Regulus, who brought the relics of St. Andrew to Scotland" 2 or from Rule in Staffordshire, England and included the early spellings: Rewel(e), Rewell, Rewyl, Ruwel and in the 12th century, Ruwell. 3

Two other sources note that it was more likely derived from the "Norman personal name Raoul." 4 5

Early Origins of the Rule family

The surname Rule was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 which records the name Rolf in Northumberland and Norfolk, Routf in Leicestershire and Turstinus filius Rolf, Rou, Roffi. 6 7

Saint Rule or Regulus (fl. 8th century?), was the legendary founder of the see of St. Andrews. "He is a leading character in the story of the journeyings of the relics of St. Andrew. Accordingly to ancient writings, "after some wandering, Regulus reached Scotland, and on a hill called Rigmond (Kil-rymont, or St. Andrews) met the king of the Picts at the head of an army. The king was Ungus, son of Urguist, who had already been warned in a vision to offer the tenth part of his inheritance to St. Andrew in order that he might be victorious in the war he was waging against the Britannic nations. The king then dedicated that place to St. Andrew, to be head of all the Pictish churches." 8

Back in Scotland, we found "Adam de Roule, c. 1300, made a grant of four acres of land in Molle to the monks of Kelso which is witnessed by Hugh de Roule and William de Roule. John de Roule witnessed a quitclaim by Robert de Colleuyll in 1328, and Walter de Roule. precentor in Glasgow, is mentioned between 1321 and 1333. In 1348 Thomas Ruwell was witness in a Justiciary Court case in Dundee, another Thomas de Rowle was a tenant of the Douglas in Dalfubill in 1376. William of Roule or Roulle witnessed the grant of the Forest of Eteryk to John Kerre in 1358, and was juror on an inquisition at Roxburgh in 1361." 1

Early History of the Rule family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rule research. Another 330 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1214, 1249, 1296, 1335, 1429, 1479, 1507, 1526, 1567, 1570, 1629, 1650, 1651, 1656, 1660, 1662, 1665, 1671, 1679, 1685, 1690, 1701, 1802, 1822, 1826, 1827, 1831, 1839, 1842, 1878 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Rule History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rule Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Rule, Wrule, Roul, Rulle, Roulle, Roull and others.

Early Notables of the Rule family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

Rule Ranking

In the United States, the name Rule is the 5,649th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 9

Migration of the Rule family to Ireland

Some of the Rule family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Rule migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rule Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Rule Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Rule Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Rule Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Rule migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rule Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Rule migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Rule Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Rule 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:

Rule Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Rule migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 19
Rule Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Rule (post 1700) +
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