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![Show Contents]() Russall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066 brought the Russall family name to the British Isles. They lived in Shropshire, at Rossall Manor, from whence their name is derived. Another derivation places the origin of the name at Rossall Point, a headland in Lancashire, just north of Shropshire. It is difficult to say which of these preceded the other, due to inadequate records of the time. However, due to the relatively close proximity of the two counties, it is quite likely that the two origins are connected in a way lost to the historical record. Early Origins of the Russall familyThe surname Russall was first found in Shropshire where they held a family seat from ancient times, and were Lords of the manor of Rossall, originally named Rosela. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086, initiated by Duke William of Normandy after his conquest of England in 1066, the holdings were known as the Isle of Rossall, held by the Church of St. Chad. A junior branch of this name gave its name to Rossall in Lancashire which was also included in the Domesday Book, 1 but on which the records are now lost. Early History of the Russall familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Russall research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1306 and 1677 are included under the topic Early Russall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Russall Spelling VariationsA multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Rossal, Rossall, Rossale, Rosal, Rosall, Rosale and many more. Early Notables of the Russall familyMore information is included under the topic Early Russall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Russall familyMany English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Russall or a variant listed above: Thomas Rassall, who settled in Maryland in 1739; and Richard Rossall, who applied for naturalization in New York in 1856.
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
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