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Russ Family History

Russ Name 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


Similar surnames: Ross, Ruhs, Gruss, Rust, Reuss, Huss, Buss, Riss, Rush, Ress

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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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 1840 there were 37 Russ families living in New York. This was about 22% of all the recorded Russ's in USA. New York had the highest population of Russ families in 1840.
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.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Russ ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Russ. 19% of Russ men worked as a Laborer and 7% of Russ women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Russ were Truck Driver and Maid. .

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 1940

  • Laborer
    19%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    7%
  • Stenographer
    7%
  • Housework
    6%
  • Maid
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

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.

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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 USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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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.

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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

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