The locality was originally called St Ruth's after the parish name which was in turn named after the St Ruth's pastoral run taken up as part of Cecil Plains pastoral run by Henry Stuart Russell in 1842. It was separated from Cecil Plains in 1842 by Richard Jones, probably for the Aberdeen Company. Later the name was simplified to be St Ruth.[2]
In 1877, 9,000 acres (3,600 ha) of land was resumed from the St Ruth pastoral run to establish smaller farms. The land was offered for selection on 24 April 1877.[4]
St Ruth Provisional School opened circa 1888. In 1918 it became a half-time school in conjunction with West Prairie Provisional School (meaning the schools shared a single teacher). In 1919 it returned to full-time school status but then closed in 1920.[5]