NameCensus.

UK surname

Russett

An English surname derived from the reddish-brown color of soil or cloth.

In the 1881 census there were 35 people recorded with the Russett surname, ranking it #28,715 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 116, ranked #28,197, up from #28,715 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, Blackburn with Darwen and Cotswold.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Russett is 133 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 231.4%.

1881 census count

35

Ranked #28,715

Modern count

116

2016, ranked #28,197

Peak year

1891

133 bearers

Map years

4

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • • Russett had 35 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,715 surname in that year.
  • • The latest modern count shown here is 116 in 2016, ranked #28,197.
  • • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 133 in 1891.
  • • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Map

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Russett surname distribution map

The map shows where the Russett surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Russett surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Russett over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 24 #29,038
1861 historical 89 #22,419
1881 historical 35 #28,715
1891 historical 133 #19,870
1901 historical 69 #26,499
1911 historical 85 #24,322
1997 modern 101 #26,774
1998 modern 109 #26,273
1999 modern 108 #26,602
2000 modern 101 #27,555
2001 modern 103 #26,927
2002 modern 106 #26,985
2003 modern 115 #25,538
2004 modern 107 #26,899
2005 modern 111 #26,260
2006 modern 111 #26,565
2007 modern 117 #26,066
2008 modern 122 #25,638
2009 modern 125 #25,823
2010 modern 127 #26,176
2011 modern 126 #26,060
2012 modern 117 #27,394
2013 modern 121 #27,255
2014 modern 121 #27,503
2015 modern 117 #27,982
2016 modern 116 #28,197

Geography

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Where Russetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Philip and Jacob, Bristol City: Temple and Maidstone, Linton, Loddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, Blackburn with Darwen and Cotswold. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
4 Bristol City: Temple Gloucestershire
5 Maidstone, Linton, Loddington Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 047 Cheshire East
2 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Cotswold 009 Cotswold
4 Cheshire East 039 Cheshire East
5 Cheshire East 043 Cheshire East

Forenames

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First names often paired with Russett

These lists show first names that appear often with the Russett surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

Mary Elizabeth Sarah Annie Ann Emma Alice Charlotte Edith Jane

Historical male names

William John George Joseph Thomas Albert Henry James Samuel Charles

Recent female names

Caroline Marie Lisa Patricia Emma Jacqueline Rebecca Charlotte Kerry Samantha

Recent male names

John Charles Peter Stephen David Graham Alexander Michael Andrew Guy

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Russett

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Russett, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Russett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Russett household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Russett is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Russett is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Russett falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Russett is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Russett, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Origin

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Meaning and origin of Russett

The surname Russett has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "rousset," meaning "reddish" or "russet-colored," referring to the reddish-brown hue of certain types of cloth or hair color.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical records from the medieval period. One notable mention is in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, which lists a person named Richard Russet.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Russet, Rousset, and Russett, indicating regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. The Russett surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Northamptonshire.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Russett, born around 1340 in Buckinghamshire. He was a prominent landowner and is mentioned in several local records from that time.

The Russett surname has also been associated with certain place names, such as Russet Hill in Oxfordshire and Russet Lane in Buckinghamshire, further indicating the name's geographical roots.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the Russett surname was William Russett, born around 1420 in Northamptonshire. He was a prominent merchant and served as a sheriff in the county.

During the 16th century, the Russett surname gained more prominence, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such person was Thomas Russett, born in 1534 in Oxfordshire, who was a respected scholar and author of several theological works.

Another significant figure from this period was Elizabeth Russett, born in 1572 in Buckinghamshire. She was a prominent landowner and philanthropist, known for her charitable contributions to the local community.

In the 17th century, the Russett surname continued to be well-represented, with individuals such as John Russett (1610-1677), a prominent lawyer and judge in Oxfordshire, and Mary Russett (1635-1701), a renowned playwright and poet from Buckinghamshire.

As the centuries progressed, the Russett surname spread across various regions of England and beyond, with bearers of the name making their mark in various fields, including literature, law, and commerce.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Russett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Russett surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Gloucestershire leads with 21 Russetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.38x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 21 31.38x
Yorkshire 6 1.77x
Dorset 2 8.93x
Banffshire 1 14.12x
Glamorgan 1 1.68x
Kent 1 0.86x
Middlesex 1 0.29x
Surrey 1 0.60x
Sussex 1 1.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Thomas in Gloucestershire leads with 9 Russetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 11250.00x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St Thomas 9 11250.00x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 126.98x
Crigglestone 5 1515.15x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 4 655.74x
Dorchester St Peter 2 1250.00x
Bermondsey 1 9.84x
Cardiff St John 1 51.55x
Chatham 1 31.25x
Crofton 1 1250.00x
Hastings St Mary 1 69.93x
Mile End New Town 1 212.77x
Rathven 1 75.19x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Russett surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Sarah 4
Alice 1
Alma 1
Annie 1
Cordelia 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Laura 1
Mary 1
Rachael 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Russett surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Albert 2
George 2
Jeremiah 2
John 2
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Henry 1
Horace 1
Joseph 1
Peter 1
Samuel 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Russett households.

Occupation Count
Scholar 11
General Servant 2
Apprentice 1
Farm Labourer 1
Farm Labourer (Ag) 1
G Serv 1
General Dealer 1
Genl Servt Dom 1
Grocers Assistant 1
Kitchenmaid (Dom) 1
Labourer 1
Labourer In Glass House 1
Nurse 1
Nursemaid 1
Private R M L I 1
Street Sawdust Hawker 1
Tailoress 1

FAQ

Russett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Russett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 35 people were recorded with the Russett surname. That placed it at #28,715 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Russett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 116 in 2016. That gives Russett a modern rank of #28,197.

What does the Russett surname mean?

An English surname derived from the reddish-brown color of soil or cloth.

What does the Russett map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Russett bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.