Ruthven

Possibly from Scottish Gaelic ruadh (“red”) + mhaighin (“place”). Some places with this name may be from Pictish, equivalent to Welsh rhudd (“red”) + Welsh maen (“stone”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹɪvən/ (traditional)
  • Rhymes: -ɪvən
  • Homophone: riven
• IPA^(key): /ˈɹuːθ.vən/, /ˈɹʌθ.vən/ (widespread spelling pronunciations)

Ruthven (countable and uncountable, plural Ruthvens)

1. (uncountable) A placename:
   1. A village in the committee area of Marr, Aberdeenshire, Scotland (OS grid ref NJ5046).
   2. A village in Angus, Scotland (OS grid ref NO2848).
   3. A hamlet in Badenoch district, Highland, Scotland (OS grid ref NH8133).
   4. A locality in the Lismore council area, north eastern New South Wales, Australia.
   5. A city in Palo Alto County, Iowa, United States.
2. (countable) A habitational surname from Scottish Gaelic.

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Ruthven is the 41164^th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 529 individuals. Ruthven is most common among White (96.79%) individuals.

• Hanks, Patrick, editor (2003), “Ruthven”, in Dictionary of American Family Names, volume 3, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN.