RUTHERFORD tribes around the world

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RUTHERFORD Family History

This ancient surname is usually regarded as being of Scottish origin, but can be English. The Clan Rutherford were once a powerful family in the Border Country, and they held an estate known as The lands of Rutherford in Roxburgh. There are a number of spellings including: Rutherford, Rutherfoord, Rutherforde, Rudderford, Riddiford, Ruddiford, Rotherforth, Ruddiforth and probably others as yet undiscovered. The derivation is from the Olde English pre 7th Century words "hryther" meaning cattle, and "forda", a shallow river crossing. However although the surname is principally recorded in the Scottish border country, some modern nameholders at least have no Scottish connections...

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Tell us about any famous RUTHERFORD (or surname variant) you think we should add here. We will get our genealogists to check them out and add them to the list. Thanks!