Rule Surname

27,627th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 19,460 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
United States
Highest density in:
New Zealand

Rule Surname Definition:

From the lands of Rule, now included in the parish of Hobkirk, Roxburghshire. The territory in turn derives its name from the Water of Rule, an affluent of the Teviot. Retween 1214 and 1249 (REG., 148), we find Alan de Rule, Richard de Rule, and Thomas de Rule appearing as witnesses to charters.

Read More About This Surname

Rule Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States8,1921:44,2455,419
Australia2,8371:9,5161,418
England2,6451:21,0652,971
Philippines2,5081:40,3666,314
India7521:1,020,03442,821
New Zealand5771:7,8481,332
South Africa4961:109,22913,157
Canada4731:77,8988,747
Mexico2221:559,1279,583
Scotland1151:46,5554,133
Argentina1041:410,99431,358
Wales831:37,2843,678
Uganda611:639,98833,288
Jamaica611:47,0482,826
Panama421:93,1493,638
Qatar191:124,10514,725
Papua New Guinea181:452,98457,838
Singapore171:323,98313,856
Ireland171:276,9969,887
Northern Ireland161:115,3156,804
Belgium161:718,54060,840
Brazil161:13,379,646256,605
Malaysia131:2,268,78789,138
Czechia111:966,67976,885
Thailand101:7,063,834426,148
Cambodia101:1,548,7156,449
Saudi Arabia91:3,428,42432,607
Tanzania81:6,617,70268,742
Ecuador81:1,988,23121,385
United Arab Emirates81:1,145,28440,289
Netherlands71:2,412,45494,797
Spain61:7,792,006100,283
Hong Kong61:1,222,5805,222
Germany51:16,101,092397,699
Sweden51:1,969,351134,077
Nigeria51:35,428,552388,973
Ethiopia41:24,386,56619,165
Bahrain41:337,1526,054
France41:16,605,680368,153
Iraq41:8,755,41423,373
China31:455,773,85521,925
Denmark21:2,822,35876,882
Chile21:8,808,23765,417
Taiwan21:11,722,37363,559
Indonesia21:66,124,597756,638
Moldova21:1,780,68455,103
Zimbabwe21:7,719,120118,432
Finland21:2,748,35172,663
Nepal21:14,240,47817,812
Turkey11:77,821,422191,047
Bangladesh11:159,356,77326,077
Ukraine11:45,522,696503,646
Brunei11:418,7313,893
Albania11:2,914,05529,474
Afghanistan11:32,153,18360,828
South Korea11:51,240,2568,015
Norway11:5,142,286129,201
Ghana11:27,020,69223,742
Guinea11:11,833,8173,268
Hungary11:9,816,27773,288
Georgia11:3,745,54547,852
Italy11:61,156,688199,583
Japan11:127,844,29373,547
Kenya11:46,179,900103,372
Liberia11:4,408,53547,110
Luxembourg11:580,54215,155
Slovenia11:2,487,67531,128
Pakistan11:178,643,885213,220
Egypt11:91,935,754132,737
Peru11:31,784,12364,452
Portugal11:10,418,24125,048
Romania11:20,077,87089,414
Rwanda11:11,364,9785,947
Saint Lucia11:178,7813,800
Colombia11:47,774,07244,230
Serbia11:7,144,94838,459
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland351:126,5687,344
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
England1,8281:13,3342,012
Scotland1861:20,1252,003
Wales521:30,1621,677
Jersey11:51,8823,898
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States2,0031:25,0723,106

Rule (464) may also be a first name.

Rule Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

From the lands of Rule, now included in the parish of Hobkirk, Roxburghshire. The territory in turn derives its name from the Water of Rule, an affluent of the Teviot. Retween 1214 and 1249 (REG., 148), we find Alan de Rule, Richard de Rule, and Thomas de Rule appearing as witnesses to charters. Adam de Roule and Thomas de Roule, both of the county of Rokesburk, rendered homage in 1296 (Bain, II, p. 199,209). Adam de Roule, c. 1300, made a grant of four acres of land in Molle to the monks of Kelso which is witnessed by Hugh de Roule and William de Roule (Kelso, 168). John de Roule witnessed a quitclaim by Robert de Colleuyll in 1328 (ibid., 480), and Walter de Roule. precentor in Glasgow, is mentioned between 1321 and 1333 (REG., 268,271, 272; Kelso, 486; Pap. Lett., II, p. 382). In 1348 Thomas Ruwell was witness in a Justiciary Court case in Dundee (RAA., II, 22), another Thomas de Rowle was a tenant of the Douglas in Dalfubill in 1376 (RHM., I, p. Ivii). William of Roule or Roulle witnessed the grant of the Forest of Eteryk to John Kerre in 1358 (Roxburghe, p. 9), and was juror on an inquisition at Roxburgh in 1361 (Bain, IV, 61). Thomas Roule was rector of Cambuslang in 1429 (REC., 335), and John of Roule was steward of Alexander, duke of Albany, in 1479 (Home, 25). Towards the end of the fifteenth century the 'de' was dropped and the name is commonly met with in the forms 'Roule' and 'Roull.' Two poets of this name ere commemorated by Dunbar in his 'Lament for the Makaris' (1507-8):

"He hes tane Rowll of Aberdene, And gentill Rowll of Corstorphyne;

Two bettir fallowis did no man sie;

Timor Mortis conturbat me."Stolen from Fore bears

John Rouil, afterwards Sir John Rowl, prior of Pittenweem before 1526, "was a dignitary but not an ornament of the pre-Reformation church." James Roull was a tenant of the Abbey of Kelso in 1567 (Kelso, p. 519), and John Rowll signed the Band of Dumfries in 1570 (RPC., XIV, p. 66). William Rewell, indweller in Brughtoun, 1671 (Edinb. App.).

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

(English) belonging to Rule (Staffs), 13th cent. Rewel(e, Rewell, Rewyl, Ruwel, 12th cent. Ruwell [the second element is apparently Middle English well(e, etc., Old English wiell(a, a spring, well; the first element seems more likely to be Middle English rew(e, Old English rǽw, a hedgerow, than Middle English row(e, rugh, Old English rúh, rough] (Anglo-French-Teut.) for the French Raoul: v. Rawle, Ralph.

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

Perhaps from the Roxburghshire rivulet; but more probably the A.-Norman personal name Raoul. The H.R. Ruel favours the latter derivation.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

Nisbet derives this name from St. Regulus, who brought the relics of St. Andrew to Scotland. It is more probably the same with the A. N. Raoul, in H.R. Ruel; corrupted from Randolph or Radolph. Hence Ralph, Rolph, Rape, Rough, Ruff, Roof, Raw, Roll, Rolls, and, as a diminutive, Ruffle. Ruet, Ruf, Ruffe, Ruffel, Ruffet, Ruffey, Ruffin are found as French names.

Ludus Patronymicus (1868) by Richard Stephen Charnock

From the French, Ruelle; from the Dutch, Rühl; personal name Or Rueil; a location name. in France.

British Family Names: Their Origin and Meaning (1903) by Henry Barber

Rule: from Ruelle in Seine-et-Oise.

Family Names And Their Story (1913) by Sabine Baring-Gould

Rule Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Rule Come From? nationality or country of origin

The last name Rule (Hindi: रूले, Marathi: रुले, Oriya: ରୁେଲ) is most common in The United States. It may also occur as:. Click here for further possible spellings of this surname.

How Common Is The Last Name Rule? popularity and diffusion

The last name is the 27,627th most commonly occurring surname at a global level It is held by around 1 in 374,488 people. This surname is mostly found in The Americas, where 47 percent of Rule live; 46 percent live in North America and 44 percent live in Anglo-North America. It is also the 395,684th most commonly held first name globally, held by 464 people.

The surname is most widely held in The United States, where it is held by 8,192 people, or 1 in 44,245. In The United States Rule is mostly found in: California, where 11 percent are found, Illinois, where 8 percent are found and Texas, where 7 percent are found. Excluding The United States this last name occurs in 75 countries. It is also found in Australia, where 15 percent are found and England, where 14 percent are found.

Rule Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The incidence of Rule has changed through the years. In The United States the share of the population with the surname increased 409 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it increased 145 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Scotland it fell 38 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Wales it increased 160 percent between 1881 and 2014 and in Ireland it fell 51 percent between 1901 and 2014.

Rule Last Name Statistics demography

The religious devotion of those bearing the Rule surname is primarily Presbyterian (94%) in Ireland.

In The United States Rule are 12.23% more likely to be registered Republicans than the national average, with 59% registered with the party.

The amount Rule earn in different countries varies greatly. In South Africa they earn 56.13% more than the national average, earning R 371,028 per year; in United States they earn 3.89% more than the national average, earning $44,827 USD per year and in Canada they earn 6.71% more than the national average, earning $53,018 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Reule894,809/
Rhule894,158/
Raule891,824/
Ruyle891,676/
Ruley891,631/
Ruhle891,428/
Ruele891,329/
Rulle891,259/
Roule89757/
Ruler89345/
Rulet89130/
Ruile89128/
Rulhe89109/
Rules8992/
Rutle8991/
Rulie8954/
Rusle8947/
Rulei894/
Rulee893/
Rulea892/
Ruled891/
Rulez891/
Ruleh891/
Ruule891/
Rul862,941/
Roulet806,705/
Raulet802,290/
Ruehle801,470/
Rutley801,280/
Ruttle80996/
Reulet80704/
Roulle80640/
Rusler80471/
Raulea80413/
Ruiles80376/
Roulez80310/
Ruller80253/
Rusley80229/
Rutler80216/
Rahule80216/
Rouley80154/
Roules80154/
Raulie80140/
Ruslee80124/
Rullet8093/
Reules8077/
Ruille8068/
Reuler8063/
Rullie8034/
Rulhes8024/
Ruules8023/
Raules8020/
Ruslet8018/
Ruhley8016/
Raulle8012/
Roulie8012/
Rulles8011/
Rauler809/
Roulee808/
Rouler807/
Ruleas806/
Rhoule805/
Ruilei804/
Rulley803/
Rutled803/
Rouleu803/
Ruilez803/
Rhules802/
Rautle802/
Reulle802/
Roulea802/
Ruthle802/
Rauley802/
Ruhler802/
Reulea802/
Rulher802/
Ruulet801/
Ruulhe801/
Ruyles801/
Reuleh801/
Reutle801/
Hruley801/
Ruless801/
Rauhle801/
Rauleu801/
Rhulle801/
Roulée801/
Rullep801/
Rhaule801/
Raulez801/
Ruiler801/
Rujhle801/
Reusle800/
Ruhlee800/
Rulett800/
Reuley800/
Rutles800/
Rusles800/
Raul75133,089/
Ruhl7513,507/
Roul7511,537/
Rull755,811/
Reul753,558/
Role752,590/
Ruli752,008/
Rula751,638/
Rile751,130/
Ruly75245/
Ruul75199/
Rhul7587/
Rusl7580/
Rulh7567/
Ruyl7564/
Hrul7556/
Rulj7529/
Ruil7521/
Ruël752/
Rgul752/
Rult751/
Rutl751/
Rrul751/
Rulp751/
Rujl751/
Ruld750/
Routley732,031/
Roullet731,612/
Ruttley73619/
Raullet73163/
Raulets73145/
Reulets73144/
Roulley73102/
Roulett7355/
Reutler7355/
Ruiller7343/
Ruttler7342/
Ruihley7338/
Rautley7335/
Roullee7328/
Rucelle7316/
Rouller7313/
Rauller7312/
Ruillet739/
Rouylle735/
Roullée734/
Ruleová734/
Ruselle734/
Ruthley732/
Roulher732/
Reullie732/
Roulieh732/
Rousley731/
Rullett731/
Roullie731/
Rutlett731/
Rudtley731/
Reulett731/
Raulett731/
Rhuller731/
Raulher731/
Ruilhes731/
Rauslet731/
Reutley731/
Rouslee731/
Rouslet731/
Ruihles731/
Ruilles731/
Roulles731/
Hruelee731/
Rausley730/
Reusler730/
Reusley730/
Raulley730/
Ruitler730/
Ruttles730/
Rutledt730/
Rusller730/
Rutelle730/
Rujhler730/
Rulless730/
Rusledt730/
Riley67245,508/
Rusli6733,482/
Rolle6731,583/
Rahul6724,691/
Raula677,141/
Rühle675,289/
Rulli674,061/
Rulit673,004/
Roula671,811/
Roley671,158/
Rusel671,012/
Rolea67972/
Rouly67812/
Rully67727/
Reula67688/
Rulla67641/
Rauli67573/
Rhoul67568/
Rilea67487/
Rauld67440/
Rouselle67418/
Rouli67382/
Rulis67296/
Roele67293/
Rulia67271/
Rutil67268/
Rauly67261/
Rusil67212/
Russelle67203/
Rilee67199/
Rolie67137/
Rulya67112/
Riele67110/
Rutel6789/
Rutli6785/
Rohul6779/
Ruijl6778/
Rucel6768/
Hreul6767/
Rueli6764/
Rugli6760/
Raull6759/
Rould6743/
Roole6741/
Rhile6741/
Rulio6733/
Ruhlé6733/
Rulgi6728/
Ruisl6727/
Ruliy6724/
Roullett6721/
Ruhly6721/
Ruhli6720/
Reull6720/
Rolee6720/
Rulay6718/
Rruli6717/
Rouleová6716/
Rülle6716/
Rilei6715/
Raulj6715/
Rulph6715/
Rutillet6715/
Roull6714/
Rulih6713/
Rausl6713/
Rouhl6713/
Ruuli6712/
Rhole6712/
Rauul679/
Reuli679/
Rulai677/
Hruli677/
Ruili676/
Ruchelle675/
Reuly675/
Rgull675/
Ruila674/
Rhaul674/
Rheul674/
Rousille674/
Rolhe673/
Raulh673/
Ruily673/
Raulí673/
Ruttelle672/
Ruliz672/
Rulyo672/
Ruslt672/
Rraul672/
Rilie672/
Roucelle672/
Raulp672/
Rucil672/
Rullé672/
Hraul672/
Rulzz672/
Rhula672/
Hrole672/
Ruill671/
Rulaj671/
Roulh671/
Routhler671/
Routl671/
Rouyl671/
Ruthlech671/
Rautl671/
Rolei671/
Hrautlei671/
Geergule671/
Rhuly671/
Rautleht671/
Reuld671/
Reult671/
Rilej671/
Rileu671/
Rűhle671/
Roulé671/
Ruelè671/
Ruilp671/
Rullh671/
Ruloi671/
Ruseller671/
Rusyl671/
Rousller671/
Ruteelle671/
Hrutl671/
Rihle670/
Rousl670/
Routless670/
Rutletch670/
Ruthless670/
Rauhl670/
Rhuhl670/
Routelle670/
Rautlett670/
Ruselles670/
Rulyy670/

Rule Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
Rule in the Hindi language
रूलेrule-
Rule in the Oriya language
ରୁେଲruela-
Rule in the Marathi language
रुलेrule61.86
रुळेrule22.25
रूलेrule10.27
रूळेrule5.62

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Rule
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis