Show ContentsRusso History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Russo is derived from the Italian word "Rosso," which comes from the Latin words "Rubius and Rossius," which mean "red." As a surname, Russo was originally a nickname for a person with red hair or a reddish complexion. Nickname surnames usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. Although the most common type of family name found in Tuscany is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, the nickname type of surname is also frequently found.

Early Origins of the Russo family

The surname Russo was first found in the cites of Trento, Udine, Vicenza, Venice, Savigliano, Pisa, Ravenna, and Rome. Some of the family migrated as far south as Sicily. This southern branch of the family descended from Count Ugone Rosso of Sicily, whose ancestors were Normans.

Early History of the Russo family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Russo research. Another 30 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1176, 1197, 1204, 1325, 1439, 1507, 1564, 1602, 1656, 1659, 1715 and 1783 are included under the topic Early Russo History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Russo Spelling Variations

Italian surnames come in far more variations than the names of most other nationalities. Regional traditions and dialects are a decisive factor in this characteristic. For example, northern names tend to end in "o", while southern in "i". Also important, but not unique to Italy, was the fact that before dictionaries and the printing press most scribes simply spelled words according to their sounds. The predictable result was an enormous number of spelling variations. The recorded spellings of Russo include Rosso, Rossa, Rossi, Del Rosso, De Rossi, De Russi, Lo Russo, Lorusso, La Russa, Larussa, Rosselli, Rossello, Rossellini, Ruggiu, Ruiu, Ruju, Rubiu, Rossillo, Rossetto, Rossit, Rossini, Rossitti, Rossitto, Rossotto, Russotti, Russello, Russetti, Russino, Russiani, Rossoni, Rossetti, Roussini, Rosselino, Rossato, Della Rossa, DeRossi, De Rubeis, Russo and many more.

Early Notables of the Russo family

Prominent among members of the family was Jacoppi Rossi in 1176, Gherardo Rossi in 1197 and Beringhieri Rossi in 1204; in 1325, Fidello del Rosso was prior at St. Piero; Giambattista Rossi vicar of Ordine in 1564; Lorenzo Rossi, professor of philosophy at the University of Ferrara in the 17th century; Cosimo Rosselli (1439-1507), an Italian painter of the Quattrocento, active mainly in his birthplace of Florence; Michelangelo Rossi (Michel Angelo del Violino) (ca. 1602-1656), an important Italian composer, violinist and organist...
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Russo Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Russo World Ranking

In the United States, the name Russo is the 753rd most popular surname with an estimated 39,792 people with that name. [1] However, in France, the name Russo is ranked the 2,557th most popular surname with an estimated 2,500 - 3,000 people with that name. [2] And in Australia, the name Russo is the 864th popular surname with an estimated 4,583 people with that name. [3] South America ranks Russo as 51st with 80 people. [4]


United States Russo migration to the United States +

In the immigration and passenger lists a number of early immigrants bearing the name Russo were found:

Russo Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Antonino Russo, aged 12, who immigrated to the United States from Italy, in 1892
  • Antonio Russo, aged 26, who landed in America from Italy, in 1892
  • Alessi Russo, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States from Polizzi, Italy, in 1893
  • Alfonso Russo, aged 11, who landed in America from Forino, in 1893
  • Alfonso Russo, aged 24, who settled in America from Piedmonte, in 1893
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Russo Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Agostino Russo, aged 35, who settled in America from Borgetto, in 1902
  • Agostina Russo, aged 17, who landed in America from Termini, in 1905

Contemporary Notables of the name Russo (post 1700) +

  • Bill Russo (1947-2021), American head football at Wagner College from 1978 to 1980 and at Lafayette College from 1981 to 1999
  • Anthony Russo (1947-2021), American politician, 35th Mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey (1993-2001)
  • John F. Russo (1933-2017), American Democratic Party politician, President of the New Jersey Senate (1986-1990), Member of the New Jersey Senate (1974-1990)
  • Paul Russo (1914-1976), American racecar driver
  • James Vincent Russo (b. 1953), American Western Heritage Award winning film and television actor
  • William "Bill" Russo (1928-2003), American jazz musician and arranger
  • Vincent James "Vince" Russo (b. 1961), American creative writer and author and former wrestler
  • Rene Marie Russo (b. 1954), American film actress and one of the most successful fashion models during the 1970s
  • Richard Russo (b. 1949), American author and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2002
  • Marisabina Russo, American award-winning children's book author and illustrator [5]
  • ... (Another 40 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Triangle Waist Company
  • Miss Pasqualina Russo (b. 1892), American worker who was at Triangle Waist Company factory at the Asch building in Greenwich Village on the 25th March 1911 when fire broke out; she survived the fire by jumping to another building, she died in 1979 [6]


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  4. "List of most common surnames in South America." Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_common_surnames_in_South_America
  5. Marisabina Russo. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Marisabina Russo. Retrieved from http://www.marisabinarusso.com/
  6. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (retrieved on 3rd August 2021.) Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fire


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