Surname Rulf - Meaning and Origin
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Rulf: What does the surname Rulf mean?
The last name Rulf is of German origin. The word "Rulf" can be interpreted as "wolf." This suggests that someone with the surname Rulf may have distant ancestry in a family of German nobility, as Wolf was a common title used to swear fealty to the powerful German lords (or "Rhulers") during the Middle Ages. Depending on the specific region of Germany in which the Rulf family resided, their coat of arms could feature symbolic wolves to represent the family's noble origins.
Rulf as a name may also derive from the German word "Rule," which means "power" or "command." This interpretation suggests that the historical Rulf family may have had a legacy of military prowess or political influence. In addition to this, the name "Rulf" is sometimes linked to the Germanic deity "Rudolf," further reinforcing the notion of power and noble status.
In modern times, the surname Rulf is still common in Germany, and the surname is also found among recent German immigrants to the United States. The Rulf surname is thus a reminder of the family's interesting history spanning hundreds of years.
Order DNA origin analysisRulf: Where does the name Rulf come from?
The last name Rulf is most common today in the Netherlands, Germany, France and England. It is derived from Old German given name Rudolph, which is composed of two elements – hrod, meaning “renown” and wulf, which means “wolf”. This is an example of a habitational name, where families would take the name of the place they lived. It is likely that the Rulf family originated somewhere in German-speaking Europe.
In Germany, the name is ranked 71,947th out of 87,957 different surnames. In France, the name is slightly more common, ranking at 38,698th out of the 200,000 surnames listed in the France GenWeb Project. In the Netherlands, is sits at 8,285th place out of the 76,106 listed surnames.
In England, many people carry this surname, although it is not very common. It is estimated that there are just under one hundred people living in England who bear the name Rulf. In the United States, the surname is much rarer. Less than one hundred people carry the name Rulf, making this name a very uncommon choice for American families.
Overall, the name Rulf is not very common today, although it is slightly more common in the Netherlands, Germany, France, and England.
Variations of the surname Rulf
The surname Rulf is a habitational surname from northern France. It has its origin in the Middle Ages and has various regional and dialectal spelling variants. The variants can be found in numerous countries, including France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Scandinavian countries.
In France, the variants of the surname Rulf include Rulleau, Rulleault, Rulleot, Rullot, Ruleault, Rouault, Rouellot, Ruelle, Ruelot, Rul and Rouault. In Belgium, variants include Ruille, Rouleau, Rullez and Ruleau. In Germany, variants are Ruhl, Rull, Ruhlle and Rugel. In Austria, variants are those of Ruhl and Rühl. In the Netherlands, variants are Ruil, Rijl and Ruul.
In Scandinavia, variants of Rulf include Raaf, Raffe, Rof, Rofe, Rofesen, Raf and Rafsen; Ruphus, Rouphus and Rufs.
Among the surnames of similar origin, the most common are Rolls, Roulleaux, Roullot, Rollot, Rouleau, Rouault, Ruelle, Rourellot, Rullot, Ruhl, Rule, Ruhlle, Rugel, Roulland, Rouvel, Roul, Rouillon, Rauf, Rauff, Raaf, Raf, Rolf, Roff, Rof, Rofe, Rofesen, Rafsen, Rufus, Rouphus, Ruphus and Rulfs.
Famous people with the name Rulf
- Celia Rulf: Celia Rulf is an actress known for her roles in various television series and movies such as The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Killing Eve, and Eiffel Tower.
- Alexander Rulf: Alexander Rulf is a philanthropist and founder of Alexander Rulf Ventures, a venture capital firm that focuses on tech startups.
- Nick Rulf: Nick Rulf is a professional snowboarder and member of the U.S. Freeskiing Pro Team.
- Ludwig Rulf: Ludwig Rulf is a German composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Vienna.
- Meghann Rulf: Meghann Rulf is an American journalist and producer for NBC News and MSNBC.
- Jakub Rufl: Jakub Rufl is a Czech entrepreneur and investor who co-founded the startup Accelerated.io.
- Addison Rulf: Addison Rulf is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist who has recorded several studio albums.
- Per Rulf: Per Rulf is a Swedish professional Cyclist. He has competed in the sophomore Tour de Suisse and participated in the 2010 Tour De France.
- Isabel Rulf: Isabel Rulf is an Austrian fashion designer who has been featured in numerous fashion magazines and photo shoots.
- Gerhard Rulf: Gerhard Rulf is a Swiss alpine skier who competed in the 1980 Winter Olympics for the Swiss National Ski Team.