Surname Rubery - Meaning and Origin

Rubery: What does the surname Rubery mean?

Rubery is a surname of English origin, derived from the place name Rubery, a village located in the district of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire in England. The name "Rubery" is derived from the Old English "ruberig", which means "red fort". This probably referred to the color of the soil or the presence of a small fortified location or hill. Like many other English surnames, Rubery was originally a descriptive name or a locational identifier for individuals or families hailing from that area. It is common to see varying spellings of the surname in historical records due to shifts in language and pronunciation over centuries. Some notable individuals with the surname Rubery include British footballer Bryan Rubery and Sir Donald Arthur Albert Rubery, a well-known figure in British education.

Rubery: Where does the name Rubery come from?

The last name Rubery is largely found in England, particularly in the English Midlands. Records from the 1901 UK census indicate that Rubery and its variants (e.g. Rubury, Ribery, Rupery)were most prominent in counties such as Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire. These areas continue to be home to many Ruberys today, where substantial numbers are found in Birmingham and its surrounding towns, as well as Bristol and towns in rural areas of the aforementioned counties. Ruberys are also scattered throughout the UK, Ireland, Australia, and the United States, including large numbers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The origin of the name Rubery is believed to derive from the Old English words ‘rud’ and ‘hearg’, meaning ‘red hill’. It was most likely a name for someone who lived near a red hill, and it is believed that Rubery was derived from this term. Interestingly, the term is not found in many other countries, which may account for its relative rarity elsewhere.

Variations of the surname Rubery

The surname Rubery may have various forms of spelling, depending on the origin. The variants and spellings of this surname include Ruby, Rubey, Rubie, Rube, Rubea, Rubeya, Rubia, and Rubya. It may also be variations of the German surname Rubing, which is spelled Rubinger, Rubinger, Rubringer, Rubinger, and Rubbinger. This name is sometimes Anglicized to Ruplinger, Rooplinger, and Reublinger.

The origin of Rubery may have come from many different sources, though some believe it is located in Berkshire, England. It has also been noted that the surname could be a variation of the English surname Rubbens, which was derived from the Latin word rubeus, meaning "red". The name was likely given to individuals with red hair or a ruddy complexion.

The Rubery surname is also linked to the Dutch place name Ruibers. This is the modern spelling of Rubers, which translates to "the shallows" in English. It could be possible that individuals from the Ruibers area adopted the surname Rubery to identify themselves and their families.

In some cases, Rubery is also the name of a village in Worcestershire, England. Therefore, Rubery may have first been used to describe people who came from the village, or it may have been adopted by people from nearby areas in the same county as the village itself.

Thus, the surname Rubery has the potential to have originated through many different routes. It is important to note that common variations of the surname may exist, and spellings may differ depending on the origin.

Famous people with the name Rubery

• Sylvia Rubery: Professor of Comparative and International Higher Education at the University of Birmingham.
• Daryll Rubery: Former England international footballer who played left back for Fulham F.C.
• Kees Rubery: Canadian politician who served as a Saskatchewan Member of Legislative Assembly.
• Steve Rubery: British author of Eight Ways of Means: An Economic History of Market Relations.
• Tom Rubery: English actor who appeared in Doctor Who.
• Rachael Rubery: English mountaineer and climber who was the first woman to summit Mount Everest.
• Sir Ranulph Rubery: Former British Army officer who served in World War I and World War II.
• William Rubery: Renowned English organist and composer.
• Christina Rubery: American commercial pilot and corporate aviation consultant.
• Evelyn Rubery: British scholar and academic teacher who was the first female professor at Queen Mary University of London.

Other surnames

RüberRubermanRuberryRubersRubertRubertonRubertoneRubertsRubertusRübertus