Russell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Russell

What does the name Russell mean?

The name Russell was carried to England in the enormous movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Russell family lived in Dorset. Their name, however, is a reference to Roussel, Normandy, the family’s place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The family there were lords of Rosel, an ancient neighborhood of Cherbourg. 1 2

Early Origins of the Russell family

The surname Russell was first found in Dorset where they were originally descended from William Bertram, Baron of Briquebec, living in 1012. His son Hugue (Hugh) named de Roussel attended Duke William at Hastings, and became Marshall of England. “Hugh de Rosel, a benefactor of the abbey of Caen accompanied the Conqueror to England, and was rewarded with possessions in county Dorset, the principally of which were Kingston, afterwards called Kingston-Russell and Berwick, the latter of which is still in possession of the family.” 1

The noted Scottish author George F. Black believed that while not discounting the Norman influence, he felt the name was “most probably a diminutive of rous, ‘red’,” and that Chaucer’s reference to ‘Daun Russel’ in Nonne Prestes Tale was “alluding to his reddish color.” 3 He also notes one the first records in Scotland was Walter Russell who witnessed a charter by Walter filius Alani to the Abbey of Paisley, c. 1164-77. A few years later, John, son of Robert Russel of Doncallaw, granted lands to the Hospital of Soltre between 1180 and 1220. 3

Moving back to the English branch of the family, we found a few listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, specifically: Miriel Russell in Huntingdonshire; Simon Russel in Cambridgeshire; and Elyas Russell in London. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed: Johannes Russell and Robertus Russell. 4

Over on the Isle of Wight in Yaverland, a small branch of the family was found at one time. “An ancient mansion of the Russells here, subsequently of the Richards family, and now a farmhouse, is a good specimen of the Elizabethan style.” 5

“The Russells have ever been the most liberal of landlords. Every improvement made in Tavistock, [Devon] has been carried out by the Duke for the time being, ‘ regardless of expense,’ with a taste as well as a liberality that have resulted in making the little town so far as its main thoroughfares go the handsomest of its size in the West of England. ”