Family name Rutko (Rutko 
, Рутько 
) , around the globe, is a rare cognomen. The surname Rutko is characteristic of Latvia, where it is quite a rare surname, Belarus, where it is a rare surname, and Croatia. Measured by absolute frequency, it is commonest in Eastern Europe, particularly Russia, Ukraine, and Poland. Very seldom, Rutko is the forename as well as the last name.