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Rust Family History

Rust Surname Meaning

Swiss German (also Rüst): topographic name for someone who lived by a prominent elm tree Rust (Old High German ruost) or in northern Germany for someone who lived by a resting place or halt along a route from Middle Low German ruste ‘rest’. German: habitational name from a place called Ruest in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania.

German: from the rare personal name Rusto (from Old High German (h)rustan ‘prepare get ready (for military action)’. English, Scottish, and German: nickname for someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion from Old English rūst Middle Low German rust ‘rust’ (from an ancient Germanic root meaning ‘red’).

The term was also used figuratively for moral or spiritual corrosion in which sense it may also have been applied as a nickname. English and Scottish: sometimes from a shortened form of Russett.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Rust family from?

You can see how Rust families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rust family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rust families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 369 Rust families living in London. This was about 23% of all the recorded Rust's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Rust families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rust 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 Rust 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 Rust. 10% of Rust men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Rust women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rust were Bricklayer and Private Means.

View Census Data for Rust | 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
    10%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%
  • Farm Labourer
    4%
  • Bricklayer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%

What Rust family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 96,000 census records available for the last name Rust. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rust census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rust

Passenger Lists

There are 11,000 immigration records available for the last name Rust. 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 Rust immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Rust. For the veterans among your Rust ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rust military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rust family history

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What is the average Rust lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Rust life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Rust in 1950 was 25, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rust

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rust 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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