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Ruel Family History

Ruel Name Meaning

French (western): topographic name for someone who lived in a narrow street a regional variant of Ruelle Compare Ruelle 2 and Ruest . French: habitational name from any of several places in various parts of France named (Le) Ruel in part of the same meaning as 1 above. English (London): of Norman origin a variant of Rule .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Rull, Ruen, Brue, Tuel, Rubel, Rue, Gruel, Duey, Armel, Prue

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Ruel family from?

You can see how Ruel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ruel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ruel families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1840 there was 1 Ruel family living in Michigan. This was about 25% of all the recorded Ruel's in USA. Michigan and 3 other states had the highest population of Ruel families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ruel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Ruel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Ruel. 22% of Ruel men worked as a Laborer and 14% of Ruel women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ruel were Farm Laborer and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Ruel | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    22%
  • Farmer
    7%
  • Painter
    4%
  • Farm Laborer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    14%
  • New Worker
    8%
  • Clerk
    8%
  • Housewife
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Ruel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 23,000 census records available for the last name Ruel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ruel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Ruel

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Ruel. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ruel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Ruel. For the veterans among your Ruel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ruel military records

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What is the average Ruel lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Ruel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Ruel in 1951 was 47, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ruel

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