The surname Russell can be of English,Scottish,Irish or Norman origin.The name is derived from the Anglo-Norman-French ‘Rousel’,a nickname for someone with red-hair.Russell is one of the color names refering to the color of hair or complexion.It was common for are ancestors to give nicknames refering to color.Surnames originated as added names for help in idendification,all surnames are ,in a sense,nicknames.As today young women are popularly differentiated as ‘brunettes’,’blondes’,or ‘redheads’.In Ireland the name has been on record since the Anglo-Norman invasion.A Thomas Russell was executed in Ireland for taking part in the rebellion of 1803,he was immortilized in Florence M. Wilson’s poem,”The man from God Knows Where”.The name dates back to the tenth century,were a Russel is recorded in historical archives.The surname was brought to America by English,Scottish and Irish immigrants.One of the first forefathers to bring this name to America is that of a Robert Russell,who emigrated to America in 1640 from Scotland;he settled in Andover,Massachusetts,were he acquired a considerable estate called “Scotland…
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