This page is historical. Follow this link for the current version.
Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources

Rufus m. Latin rufus 'red, ruddy'.

The name of a minor New Testament character and a number of early saints and martyrs. Wycliffite Bible (1395): Rufe, Rufus.

Rufus was also one of the most common of the ancient Roman cognomina.

Belgium
Latin
1050 Rufus (nom) CRS-2-5 p. 232
France
Old French
1292 Rufin 1292paris p. 2; 1313 Ruffin Paris1313 p. 96
Italy
Latin
1310 Ruffinus (nom) MonRav-2 CCCL, Rufinus (nom) ibid. CCCL
Cite as: S.L. Uckelman. "Rufus". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2019, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2019/1/name/Rufus.