Message: "Rude" - Behind the Name

Rude

by LMS

11/22/2006, 5:59 PM

I have a friend who has almost all Norwegian ancestry. His last name is Rude but he told me that it is derived from a longer Norwegian name but was cut down by the first relatives that came to America in order to have a last name that was more easily pronounced by the Americans. Does anyone have an idea as to what longer names it could have possibly been derived from?

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- Jim Young (guest) +2

11/23/2006, 2:49 AM

There is a Norwegian surname, Rudolfsen, meaning pretty obvious. There are also surnames, Rud, Rudi and Ruud, all of which occur as place names in Norway. There are also places called Rudikverna, Rudsgrendi, Rudsmoen, and Rudstad, though I don't know if any of these have been adopted as surnames.

- LMS +1

11/23/2006, 3:50 AM

Thanks

Thanks! I remember my friend telling me the name and I thought it had a 'olf' or 'loff' in it, so you sound close with the Rudolfsen thoery. Do you happen to know the pronunciation of that last name? Does it happen to be pronounced Rude-ulf-sin or Rude-ulf-senn?

- Jim Young (guest)

11/24/2006, 7:27 AM

I imagine if you say "Rudolph son" English style you won't be far off. I think sen with an open E sound, rather than sin.

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