Can Someone Tell Me What Nationality My Last Name is?

Question

I need help. I'm not sure what Nationality my last name is. My last name is Ruby.

Answer 1

It's German. Check out your last name on this database and it will give you the history on Ruby.

http://www.houseofnames.com

Answer 2

Your last name sounds like it might have been shortened from another longer name like Rubinski or Rubio. Lots of people did this to fit in when the arrived in the US. You may never know for sure. I would try to trace my family back using birth certificates and marriage licenses and see if you can get some clues from those. For instance, your grandfather's first name was Giovanni and your grandmother's first name was Maria and they lived in little Italy and were staunch Catholics then you can surmise that your last name came from a longer Italian name.

There are also some groups that do DNA testing who can tell you where some of your family came from. This may or may not help.

Good luck with your search.

Answer 3

Jack Ruby was Jewish.
He's the guy who shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald.
But really - who knows?

Answer 4

Jewish as Clayton Ruby is a famous Jewish lawyer in Toronto.

Answer 5

I can't find anything-the closest was an Aboriginal name. If your local library has a genealogy section, check it. Ask your oldest living relatives-they might know something about it.

Answer 6

I'll bet it was shortened when your ancestors came over here. The Customs folks routinely shortened long or (to them) unpronounceable names. It could be anything from Rubinowitz to Rubinski to Robinowski - you pick one - they did.

Answer 7

I guess you are German. English personal name "Hain, Heyne", from the Germanic "Hagano", meaning awthorn. The name may have originated as a German topographical name for someone who lived by a patch of enclosed pastureland, from the Middle High German "hagen", hedge.

Answer 8

thats the kind of question that started me on a 10 year quest for genealogy info. i found my father shortened it, my grandfather came to ellis island using his original name. start with your parents birth certificates and place of birth which gives you their parents and place of birth.etc. etc.

I vote 4 Jewish.

Answer 9

german,jewish,shortend from rubinstien, emigrated to the us , is one of a hundred possibilities, try ancestry.com,genes reunited
any of these can search for a family name history. good luck LF

Answer 10

I suspect it is of Jewish origin.
Many Jewish surnames are taken from precious metals or stones.