The Rule family appear to have originated in Cambourne, Cornwall in the 1500s, members of the family became miners, working across Cornwall and Devon during the industrial revolution, the Rule ancestors of my family originated from Illogan, Cornwall in the early 1700s but one family member, James Rule born 1734 and his partner, Sarah Dud moved from Illogan to “Northmolton” in around 1763, they were unmarried and had a son, William Rule, born 1764 who was baptised after the marriage in Northmolton.
William and his wife Pricilla (nee Major) underwent a “settlement inspection” in 1790 in the village of Bere Ferrers where the inspection describes his parents originating from Northmolton and “Illugan in the Country of Cornwall”.  William eventually settled in Bridestowe Devon and his descendent, John Daniel Rule migrated with railway work in the late 1800s to Liverpool and North Wales.
An ancestor of the Rule family, Robert or Rob Rule born 1560, died 1619 appears to have married a member of the Rolle family of Stevenstone, Devon in 1598 (Elizabeth Ann Rolle died 1616). It is also claimed in some sources that Robert was the son of Elizabeth’s uncle Sir. George Rolle or possibly an adopted son, the exact relationship of Robert Rule to the Rolle family is something I am trying to clarify.  The Rolle family were descenced from Scottish landowners with members who fought in the Battle of Flodden in 1513 and whose ancestors at Duncrub, Scotland were descended from the rulers of Scotland, Strathclyde, Ireland and other parts of Britain. The family line can also be traced back to the earliest historical rulers of Britain and to Norman and French settlers from the Norman Conquest.