| Rudow History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms Etymology of RudowWhat does the name Rudow mean? The surname Rudow is derived from the Old English root "rud-," a component in the words "rudig," which means "ruddy," and "ruddoc," which means "red-breast." The surname was originally a nickname for a ruddy complexioned or red-haired person, or perhaps for someone who habitually wore the color red. The surname Rudow may also be a local name derived from residence "at the rood;" that is, residence near a crossroads. Early Origins of the Rudow familyThe surname Rudow was first found in Carmarthenshire (Welsh: Sir Gaerfyrddin), located in Southwest Wales, one of thirteen historic counties and presently one of the principal area in Wales, where they held a family seat from very ancient times; some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D. Early History of the Rudow familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rudow research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1674, 1757 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Rudow History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Rudow Spelling VariationsThere are relatively few surnames native to Wales, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. Early variations of Welsh surnames can be explained by the fact that very few people in the early Middle Ages were literate. Priests and the few other literate people were responsible for recording names in official documents. And because most people could not specific how to properly record their names it was up to the individual recorder of that time to determine how a spoken name should be recorded. Variations due to the imprecise or improper recording of a name continued later in history when names originally composed in the Brythonic Celtic, language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, were transliterated into English. Welsh names that were documented in English often changed dramatically since the native language of Wales, which was highly inflected, did not copy well. Occasionally, however, spelling variations were carried out according to an individual's specific design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by minor variations. The spelling variations of the name Rudow have included Rudd, Wrudd, Rutt, Rud, Rut, Roud, Routt, Ruttle and others. Early Notables of the Rudow familyAnother 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rudow Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Rudow family to IrelandSome of the Rudow family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Rudow familyMany Welsh families joined their Scottish and Irish neighbors during the late 1800s and early 1900s in seeking refuge in North America. Like the Irish and Scottish, many Welsh anxiously awaited the work, freedom, and opportunities that they believed lay in North America. Those who did journey over to the United States and what became known as Canada often realized those dreams, but only through much toil and perseverance. Whenever and however these Welsh immigrants arrived in North America, they were instrumental in the creation of the industry, commerce, and cultural heritage within those two developing nations. In the immigration and passenger lists a number of early immigrants bearing the name Rudow were found: John and Abraham Rudd, who settled in Virginia in 1698; Elizabeth Rudd settled in Delaware in 1682; Amos, Isaac, Michael, Richard, Thomas and William Rudd all arrived in Philadelphia between 1775 and 1850..
| Contemporary Notables of the name Rudow (post 1700) | + |
- Vivian Adelberg Rudow (b. 1936), American composer, performance artist and conductor
- Lucretia Suciu- Rudow (1859-1900), Romanian poet from Austria-Hungary
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