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Russell, also Rosel, Rousel, Roussel, Russel or Rossell. The origin of the name has historically been subject to disagreement, with two distinct origins proposed. Early genealogists traced the Russel/Russell family of Kingston Russel from Anglo-Norman landholders bearing the toponymic surname 'de Rosel' or 'du Rozel', deriving from Rosel, Calvados, Normandy (not, as has also been claimed, Le Rozel, Manche).[2] However, J. Horace Round observed that these flawed pedigrees erroneously linked toponymic-bearing men with unrelated men who instead bore the Anglo-Norman nickname rus[s]el (represented in contemporary Latin documents as Rosellus), given to men with red hair.[2] This nickname was a diminutive of the Norman-French rus (Old French ros, Modern French roux[3]), meaning 'red', and was also an archaic name for the red fox,[4] which in turn borrowed from Old Norse rossel, "red-haired", from Old Norse ros "red hair color" and the suffix -el. Round concluded "there is no reason to suppose that the surname Russell was territorial at all,"[2] and surname dictionaries have preferred to derive the surname from the nickname. Dictionaries also state that the English name Rufus originally meant "red haired".[4][5]
| Language(s) | Anglo-Norman |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Meaning | red, or a toponymic |
| Region of origin | France, Ireland, Scotland, England |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | Rosel; Rousel; Russel; Rossell; Roussel; |
| Frequency comparisons:[1] | |
People with surname Russell include:
- Aaron Russell (born 1993), American volleyball player
- Adam Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Addie Jenne Russell, American politician
- Addison Russell (born 1994), American baseball player
- Addison Peale Russell (1826–1912), American author
- Ajani Russell, American skateboarder and actress
- Albert Russell (director) (1890–1929), American filmmaker
- Albert Russell, Lord Russell (1884–1975), Scottish politician
- Alec Russell, English journalist
- Alex Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Alexander Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Alexei Maxim Russell (born 1976), Canadian writer
- Alfred Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Alice Russell (singer) (born 1975), English singer
- Alice B. Russell (1892–1984), American actress
- Allan Russell (born 1980), Scottish footballer
- Allen Russell (1893–1972), American baseball player
- Alys Russell (née Pearsall Smith, 1867–1951), American-born English Quaker relief organiser; first wife of Bertrand Russell
- Andre Russell (born 1988), Jamaican cricketer
- Andrea Russell, American chemist and professor
- Andrew Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Andy Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Angela Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Anna Russell (1911–2006), English–Canadian singer and comedian
- Anna Russell (botanist) (1807–1876), British botanist
- Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford (1783–1857), Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria
- Anne Russell (judge) (born 1940), Canadian judge
- Anne Russell (artist), (1781–1857), English pastellist
- Anne Russell, Countess of Warwick (1548 or 1549–1604), Lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth I
- Anthony Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Archibald Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Arthur Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Austin Lee Russell (born 1982), American television personality and businessman known as Chumlee
- Barry Russell, Australian rugby league footballer active in the 1950s
- Barry Russell (Cronulla), Australian rugby league footballer active 1985–1991
- Belinda Russell (born c.1978), Australian newsreader
- Benjamin Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Bertrand Russell (1872–1970), British polymath
- Betsy Russell (born 1963), American actress
- Bibi Russell (born 1950), Bangladeshi model and fashion designer
- Bill Russell (disambiguation), also Billy Russell, several people
- Bing Russell (1926–2003), American actor
- Bob Russell (disambiguation), also Bobby Russell, several people
- Bourn Russell (1794–1880), British/Australian mariner, pastoralist, businessman and politician
- Brady Russell (born 1998), American football player
- Brenda Russell (born 1949), American musician
- Brian Russell (born 1978), American football player
- Brian Russell (priest) (born 1950), British Anglican priest
- Bruce Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Bryan Russell (born 1981), American record producer
- Bryon Russell (born 1970), American basketball player
- Byron Russell (1884–1963), Irish actor
- Calvin Russell (American football) (born 1983), American football player
- Calvin Russell (musician) (1948–2011), American singer-songwriter and guitarist
- Cam Russell (born 1969), Canadian hockey player
- Cameron Russell (born 1987), American fashion model
- Campy Russell (born 1952), American basketball player
- Carl Parcher Russell (born 1984), American historian and ecologist
- Carl Ray Russell (born 1957), American politician
- Caroline Russell (born 1962), British politician
- Carolyn Russell (born 1974), Canadian squash player
- Catherine Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Cazzie Russell (born 1944), American basketball player
- Chapelle Russell (born 1997), American football player
- Charles Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Charlie Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Chris Russell (born 1989), English cricketer
- Chris J. Russell (born 1980), American jockey
- Christine Russell (born 1945), British politician
- Christopher T. Russell (born 1943), American physicist
- Chuck Russell (born 1958), American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor
- Clarence D. Russell (1895–1963), American cartoonist
- Clarence W. Russell (died 1919), American college sports coach
- Clay Milner Russell (born 1999), English actor
- Clive Russell (born 1945), Scottish actor
- Colin Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Connie Russell (1923–1990), American singer and actress
- Conrad Russell (letter writer) (1878–1947), English letter writer
- Conrad Russell, 5th Earl Russell (1937–2004), British historian and politician
- Corinne Russell (born 1963), English model
- Craig Russell (disambiguation), several people
- D'Angelo Russell (born 1996), American basketball player
- Dale Russell (1937–2019), American-Canadian geologist and palaeontologist
- Damien Russell (born 1970), American football player
- Daniel Russell (disambiguation), also Dan or Danny Russell, several people
- Danielle Rose Russell (born 1999), American actress
- Darrell Russell (disambiguation), several people
- David Russell (disambiguation), also Dave Russell, several people
- Davy Russell (born 1979), Irish jockey
- Dean Russell (born 1976), American politician
- Diana Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Donald Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Dontavius Russell (born 1995), American football player
- Dora Russell (née Black, 1894–1986), British author, feminist and socialist campaigner, second wife of Bertrand Russell
- Doug Russell (American football) (1911–1995), American football player
- Doug Russell (swimmer) (born 1946), American swimmer
- Dudley Russell (1896–1978), British Indian Army general in World War II
- Dwayne Russell (born 1965), Australian rules footballer and commentator
- Ebenezer Russell (1747–1836), New York politician
- Edith Finch Russell (1900–1978), American writer and biographer, fourth wife of Bertrand Russell
- Edward Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Elam W. Russell Sr. (1828–1897), American politician and Missouri state representative
- Elizabeth Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Eric Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Erica Russell (born 1951), New Zealand-born film animator
- Erk Russell (1926–2006), American athlete and coach
- Ethan Russell (born 1945), American photographer and author
- Evangeline Russell (1902–1966), American actress
- Fatts Russell (born 1988), American basketball player
- Findlay E. Russell (1919–2011), American physician and toxicologist
- Finn Russell (born 1992), Scottish rugby union player
- Francis Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Frank Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Frederick Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Gail Russell (1924–1961), American actress
- Gareth Russell (author), British historian and author
- Gareth Russell (musician), Scottish musician
- Gary Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Geoffrey Russell, 4th Baron Ampthill (1921–2011), British peer
- George Russell (racing driver) (born 1998) British Formula One driver
- Gerald Russell (1928–2018), British psychiatrist
- Gerald F. Russell (1916–2014), United States Marine Corps officer
- Gerard Russell (diplomat), British diplomat and writer
- Gerard Russell (politician) (1620–1682), English politician
- Gilbert Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Gordon Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Graham Russell (born 1950), English musician
- Grayson Russell (born 1998), American actor
- Green Pinckney Russell (1861–1939), American school administrator and teacher
- Guy Russell (1898–1977), Royal Navy admiral
- Guy Russell (footballer) (born 1967), English football player and manager
- Harold Russell (1914–2002), American World War II veteran, amputee, and actor
- Harold Russell (politician) (1871–1938), New Zealand farmer, sportsman, and politician
- Harry Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Hastings Russell, 12th Duke of Bedford (1888–1953), British peer
- Helen Cary Russell (1870-1946), American clubwoman, social leader, and magazine editor
- Henry Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Herbrand Russell, 11th Duke of Bedford (1858–1940), British politician and peer
- Honey Russell (1902–1973), American basketball player and coach
- Ian Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Ivan Russell (born 1952), Australian rules footballer
- Jack Russell (disambiguation), several people
- JaMarcus Russell (born 1985), American football player
- James Russell (disambiguation) (includes Jim)
- Jane Russell (1921–2011), American actress
- Jason Russell (born 1978), American director and human rights activist
- Jay Russell (born 1960), American filmmaker
- Jay Russell (writer) (born 1961), American author
- Jeannie Russell (born 1950), American actress
- Jeff Russell (born 1961), American baseball player and manager
- Jeffrey Burton Russell (1934–2023), American historian and religious scholar
- Jenna Russell (born 1967), English actress and singer
- Jennifer Russell (tennis) (born 1978), American tennis player
- Jennifer Russell (physician), Canadian physician and health official
- Jennifer Russell (lacrosse), American lacrosse player
- Jeremiah Russell (1786–1867), American politician from New York
- Jeremiah Russell (Minnesota politician) (1809–1885), American territorial legislator
- Jesse Russell (born 1948), American inventor
- Jimmy Russell (1878–1925), Australian rules footballer
- Jimmy Russell (rugby league), British rugby league footballer
- J. J. Russell (born 1998), American football player
- Jo Russell (born 1970), British radio presenter
- Joe Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Joellen Louise Russell (born 1970), oceanographer and climate scientist
- John Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Johnny Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Jon Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Jonathan Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Jordan Russell (born 1986), Australian rules footballer
- Joseph Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Jotham Russell (born 2003), Australian American football player
- Kane Russell (born 1992), New Zealand field hockey player
- Karen Russell (born 1981), American author
- Kate Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Katherine Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Kathleen Russell (athlete) (1927–1969), Jamaican sprinter
- Kathleen Russell (swimmer) (1912–1992), South African swimmer
- Keelon Russell (born 2007), American football player
- Keith Russell (disambiguation), several people
- KeiVarae Russell (born 1993), American football player
- Ken Russell (1927–2011), British film director
- Kenneth Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Kent Russell, American author
- Keri Russell (born 1976), American actress
- Kevin Russell (footballer) (born 1966), English footballer
- Kevin Russell (musician) (born 1964), German singer
- Kimberly Russell (born 1964), American actress
- Kris Russell (born 1987), Canadian ice hockey player
- Kurt Russell (born 1951), American actor
- Lafayette Russell (1904–1978), American football player
- Lance Russell (1926–2017), American sports broadcaster and commentator
- Larry Russell (1913–1954), American composer
- Larry Russell (bassist) (born 1950), American musician
- Lee Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Leon Russell (1942–2016), American musician and songwriter
- Leonard Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Leroy "Junior" Russell (born 1987), known as Tommy Lee Sparta, Jamaican dancehall musician
- Lewis Russell (1889–1961), American actor
- Liane Russell (1923–2019), American geneticist
- Lillian Russell (1860/1861–1922), American vaudeville actress and singer
- Lindsey Russell, English television presenter
- Lloyd Russell (1913–1968), American athlete and college sports coach
- Lucy Russell (actress) (born 1972), British actress
- Lucy Russell, Countess of Bedford (1580–1627), English patron of the arts
- Luis Russell (1902–1963), Panamanian jazz pianist
- Lynne Russell (born 1946), American journalist and author
- Malinda Russell (born c. 1812), African-American cookbook writer
- Mariya Russell, American chef and Michelin star restaurateur
- Mark Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Martha M. Russell (1867–1961), American nurse in World War I
- Mary Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Marzuk Russell (born 1973), Bangladeshi lyricist, poet, model, and actor
- Matthew Russell (disambiguation), also Matt Russell, several people
- Mercedes Russell (born 1995), American basketball player
- Michael Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Micho Russell (1915–1994), Irish musician and author
- Mickey Russell, American football player
- Mike Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Moses Russell (1888–1946), Welsh international footballer
- Naomi Russell (born 1990), Australian gymnast
- Newton Russell (1927–2013), American politician
- Nicholas Russell, 6th Earl Russell (1968–2014), British politician
- Nick Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Nipsey Russell (1918–2005), American comedian
- Odo Russell, 1st Baron Ampthill (1829–1884), British diplomat
- Olive Nelson Russell (1905–1989), American composer, organist and pianist
- P. Craig Russell (born 1951), American comic writer, artist, and illustrator
- Pat Russell (1923–2021), American community activist and politician
- Patricia Russell, Countess Russell (1910–2004), British philosopher, third wife of Bertrand Russell
- Patrick Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Patti Russell (fl. 1919–1929), Australian soprano
- Paul Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Pee Wee Russell (1906–1969), American jazz musician
- Peter Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Philip Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Phoebe Russell, Australian classical double bass player
- Polly Russell, British historian
- Rachel Russell, Lady Russell (c. 1636–1723), English letter writer and author
- Rachel Renée Russell, American children's author
- Reb Russell (1889–1973), American baseball player
- Regan Russell (1955–2020), Canadian animal rights activist
- Richard Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Rip Russell (1915–1976), American baseball player
- Robert Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Robin Russell, 14th Duke of Bedford (1940–2003), British peer and conservationist
- Ronald Russell (disambiguation), Multiple people
- Rosalind Russell (1907–1976), American actress
- Ross Russell (footballer, born 1967) (born 1967), Trinidadian footballer
- Ross Russell (jazz), (1909–2000), American record producer
- Rusty Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Ryan Russell (ice hockey) (born 1987), Canadian hockey player
- Ryan Russell (American football) (born 1992), American football player
- Sally-Anne Russell, Australian mezzo-soprano
- Sam Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Samuel Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Sara Russell (born 1966), British planetary scientist
- Sarah Amanda Sanders Russell (1844–1913), American political hostess
- Sarah Rachel Russell (c. 1814–1880), British criminal
- Scott Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Seán Russell (1893–1940), Irish republican
- Sean Russell (author) (born 1952), Canadian fantasy author
- Seth Russell (born 1994), American football player
- Sheila Russell (1935–2022), American politician
- Shirley Russell (artist) (1886–1985), American artist
- Shirley Ann Russell (1935–2002), British costume designer
- Simon Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Sol Smith Russell (1848–1902), American actor
- Stephen Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Steve Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Stuart Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Taylor Russell (born 1994), Canadian actress
- Ted Russell (disambiguation), several people
- Theresa Russell (born 1957), American actress
- Theodore E. Russell (born 1936), American diplomat
- Thomas Russell (disambiguation), also Tom Russell, several people
- Tim Russell (born 1947), American radio personality and voice actor
- Twan Russell (born 1974), American football player
- Vaughan Russell (1890–1979), Scottish footballer
- Walter Russell (1871–1963), American artist and author
- Walter B. Russell Jr. (1929–2016), American army officer and politician
- Walter Westley Russell (1867–1949), British painter and art teacher
- Welford Russell (1900–1975), Canadian composer
- William Russell (disambiguation), also Will and Willy Russell, several people
- Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford (1680–1711), British noble and politician
- Wriothesley Russell, 3rd Duke of Bedford (1708–1732), British noble and peer
- Wyatt Russell (born 1986), American actor and former ice hockey player
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