Show ContentsRusling History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Rusling family

The surname Rusling was first found in Lincolnshire where the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Rigsby, Rocelin, a Norman noble who held from the Archbishop of York who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. Rocelin was descended from Robertus the first settler granted the lands in 1066 by Duke William.

Robertus filius Rozelin, Rotselini is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. [1] As a forename, Rocelin de Riggesbi was mentioned c. 1150 in Lincolnshire. Later, Thomas Roscelin was found in the Assize Rolls for Gloucestershire in 1221 and later again, John Russelyn was listed in Yorkshire in 1316. In Cambridgeshire, Amycis Roslyn was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. [2]

They are thought to be a "branch of the Carlovingian Viscounts of Maine and Beaumont. Roscelin the thin man (Homo Magri) is mentioned in the Norman Exchequer Rolls of 1198. The probable ancestor of the family in England was Rocel filius Osbert, who held five knights' fees of the barony of Hubert de Rie in 1165. William de Roscelyn, with whom the recorded pedigree commences, married the heiress of a Norman family that had held a considerable property in Norfolk from the time of the Conquest, and had taken the name of Edgefield or Edisfield from one of their manors. Sir Thomas, the next heir, in 1265 had free warren in all his demesne lands at Edisfield, Walcote, Norton, Heckingham, Drayton, Tasburgh, and Redlington, in Norfolk; and his son Sir Peter was summoned to parliament among the barons of the realm in 1293." [3]

Early History of the Rusling family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rusling research. Another 170 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1109, 1200, 1214, 1273 and 1291 are included under the topic Early Rusling History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rusling Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Rosselin, Roseland, Rosling, Rosslyn, Rusling, Rosling, Roslyn, Roslin, Roskelyn, Rossland, Rosslynd, Roselyn and many more.

Early Notables of the Rusling family

More information is included under the topic Early Rusling Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Rusling migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rusling Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • James Rusling, who arrived in America in 1795 [4]

Contemporary Notables of the name Rusling (post 1700) +

  • Robert Rusling, American politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Warren County, 1859-61 [5]
  • John A. Rusling, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Connecticut, 1896 [5]
  • Barbara Rusling, American Republican politician, Member of Texas State House of Representatives 57th District; Defeated, 1992; Elected 1994; Defeated, 1996 [5]
  • Joseph Rusling Meeker (1827-1887), American landscape painter
  • Sedgwick Rusling Leap (b. 1886), American Republican politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Salem County, 1927-29; Member of New Jersey State Senate from Salem County, 1930-35 [6]
  • John Rusling Block (b. 1935), American Republican politician, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, 1981-86 [7]


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
  4. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  7. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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