Ruder History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

Bavaria, Germany is the ancestral home of the Ruder family. The Germans began using hereditary surnames in the 12th century. Ruder is an occupational name, which was derived from the kind of work done by the original bearer. It is a name for a wheelmaker or wheelwright. The name stems from the German noun rat, meaning wheel. The origin is more clear in the variant "Rademacher."

Early Origins of the Ruder family

The surname Ruder was first found in Bavaria, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. Chronicles first mention Cuncz Redler in 1259 in Iglau, Hans Redel and A. Radel of Bohemia in 1407, Johann Radler of Znaim in 1420, and the knight Goslaus von Redern in 1292 near Neisse. Often the name was associated with work involving mills, but might also stemm from wheel makers (thus the old variation "Rademacher"). From the earliest times, though, it was widespread and not restricted to a profession. The name branched into many houses whose contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power.

Early History of the Ruder family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ruder research. Another 213 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1278, 1549, 1716 and 1731 are included under the topic Early Ruder History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ruder Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Ruder include Rad, Raed, Raeder, Rehder, Redder, Rader, Raders, Rade, Radder, Redler, Redl, Raedler, Redler, Radl, Rademacher, Radenmacher and many more.

Early Notables of the Ruder family

Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ruder Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ruder Ranking

In the United States, the name Ruder is the 10,851^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1]

Ruder migration to the United States +

Thousands of German settlers came to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. The hardships of the long voyage were balanced by the opportunity to escape poverty and religious persecution. The descendents of these settlers still populate the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also live in Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Ruder or a variant listed above:

Ruder Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Anna Dorothea Wasinger Ruder, who arrived in New York, NY in 1876 [2]
Anna Margaretha Befort Ruder, who landed in New York, NY in 1876 [2]
Elizabetha Schumacher Ruder, who arrived in New York, NY in 1876 [2]
Heinrich Ruder, who landed in New York, NY in 1876 [2]
Johannes Ruder, who arrived in New York, NY in 1876 [2]
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ruder migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ruder Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Margereta Ruder, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1757

Contemporary Notables of the name Ruder (post 1700) +

David Sturtevant Ruder (b. 1929), American economist, 23rd Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (1987-1989)
William "Bill" Ruder (1921-2011), American public relations executive and co-founder of Ruder Finn
David Sturtevant Ruder (b. 1929), American 23rd Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (1987-1993)
Gardy-Kate Ruder (b. 1954), German author and teacher
Emil Ruder (1914-1970), Swiss typographer and graphic designer, best known for developing the font Swiss Style
Margaret Ruder Fuller, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1972 [3]

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html