The first of the Rutants (Rutemps, Routyahn, Rutan) recorded in Saint-Mihiel was Phillipe, who was a leading draper or cloth merchant in 1506. They were among the aristocratic families of France for over a century and it was said (without proof) that they had come from England. Phillipe had a son Ferri, who was mayor of St. Mihiel in 1534. His son was Jean, who had four sons; Nicholas, Jacques, Jean, and Pierre. There was a Florentine as well, who may have been Claudin's father.
Claudin was a furrier in St. Mihiel. He was there in 1598.
“The Ruttan family were Huguenots who fled from France after the massacre of St. Bartholomew in 1572 and went to England, then back to Holland where they amassed a large fortune.”