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Russ Family History

Russ Surname Meaning

English: variant of Rouse. German: from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with hrōd ‘renown’ for example Rudolf.

German (of Slavic origin): from Old Slavic rusъ ‘reddish’ used as a nickname (compare 6 below and Rus). Swiss German: topographic name for someone who lived by an area of scree Middle High German ru(o)ʒʒe.

Swiss German: occupational name for a smith or charcoal burner or nickname for a dirty person from Middle High German ruoʒ ‘soot dirt’. Germanized or Americanized form of Slovenian, Croatian, Czech, and Slovak Rus meaning ‘brownish red’, ‘blond’, or ‘Russian’.

In part, it is a Gottscheerish (i.e. Gottschee German) surname originating from the Kočevsko region in Lower Carniola, Slovenia (see Kocevar) and is either of Slovenian or German (see above) etymology.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Russ family from?

You can see how Russ families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Russ family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Russ families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 177 Russ families living in London. This was about 18% of all the recorded Russ's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Russ families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Russ surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Russ ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Russ. 13% of Russ men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Russ women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Russ were Farm Carter and Housewife.

View Census Data for Russ | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    13%
  • Colliery Hewer
    8%
  • Gardener
    8%
  • Farm Carter
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Glove Machinist
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Russ family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 93,000 census records available for the last name Russ. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Russ census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Russ

Passenger Lists

There are 11,000 immigration records available for the last name Russ. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Russ immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 35,000 military records available for the last name Russ. For the veterans among your Russ ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Russ military records

You've only scratched the surface of Russ family history

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What is the average Russ lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Russ life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Russ in 1941 was 34, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Russ

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Russ ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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