Show ContentsRusul History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 added many new elements to an already vibrant culture. Among these were thousands of new names. The Rusul family 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 Rusul family

The surname Rusul 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 Rusul family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rusul research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1306 and 1677 are included under the topic Early Rusul History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rusul Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Rossal, Rossall, Rossale, Rosal, Rosall, Rosale and many more.

Early Notables of the Rusul family

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

Migration of the Rusul family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Rusul 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.



  1. 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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