Rousell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Ireland
Scotland

Today's generation of the Rousell family bears a name that was brought to England by the migration wave that was started by the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Rousell family lived in Dorset. Their name, however, is a reference to Roussel, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The family there were lords of Rosel, an ancient neighborhood of Cherbourg. 1 2

Early Origins of the Rousell family

The surname Rousell was first found in Dorset where they were originally descended from William Bertram, Baron of Briquebec, living in 1012. His son Hugue (Hugh) named de Roussel attended Duke William at Hastings, and became Marshall of England. "Hugh de Rosel, a benefactor of the abbey of Caen accompanied the Conqueror to England, and was rewarded with possessions in county Dorset, the principally of which were Kingston, afterwards called Kingston-Russell and Berwick, the latter of which is still in possession of the family." 1

The noted Scottish author George F. Black believed that while not discounting the Norman influence, he felt the name was "most probably a diminutive of rous, 'red'," and that Chaucer's reference to 'Daun Russel' in Nonne Prestes Tale was "alluding to his reddish color." 3 He also notes one the first records in Scotland was Walter Russell who witnessed a charter by Walter filius Alani to the Abbey of Paisley, c. 1164-77. A few years later, John, son of Robert Russel of Doncallaw, granted lands to the Hospital of Soltre between 1180 and 1220. 3

Moving back to the English branch of the family, we found a few listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, specifically: Miriel Russell in Huntingdonshire; Simon Russel in Cambridgeshire; and Elyas Russell in London. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed: Johannes Russell and Robertus Russell. 4

Over on the Isle of Wight in Yaverland, a small branch of the family was found at one time. "An ancient mansion of the Russells here, subsequently of the Richards family, and now a farmhouse, is a good specimen of the Elizabethan style." 5

"The Russells have ever been the most liberal of landlords. Every improvement made in Tavistock, [Devon] has been carried out by the Duke for the time being, ' regardless of expense,' with a taste as well as a liberality that have resulted in making the little town so far as its main thoroughfares go the handsomest of its size in the West of England. " 6

Early History of the Rousell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rousell research. Another 283 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1012, 1259, 1296, 1310, 1320, 1321, 1376, 1417, 1423, 1424, 1432, 1437, 1486, 1539, 1550, 1555, 1577, 1601, 1602, 1613, 1614, 1625, 1629, 1632, 1639, 1642, 1660, 1669, 1679, 1680, 1683, 1692, 1694, 1700, 1702, 1710, 1711, 1714, 1727, 1731, 1735, 1741 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Rousell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rousell Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Rousell include Russell, Russel and others.

Early Notables of the Rousell family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Russell (died 1437), an English landowner and Justice of the Peace, Speaker of the House of Commons (1423-1424) and in 1432, High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1417; Sir John Russell, (c.1486-1555), Lord High Steward and Lord Keeper of the privy seal under Henry VIII and Edward VI, created 1st Earl of Bedford in 1550; Thomas Russell (1577-1632), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1601 and in 1614; Sir William Russell, 1st Baronet, of Wytley (ca. 1602-1669), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in...
Another 134 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rousell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Rousell family to Ireland

Some of the Rousell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 111 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rousell migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Rousell Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Edward Rousell (Russell), (b. 1816), aged 25, British labourer travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lord William Bentinck" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 24th May 1841 7
Mr. John Rousell (Russell), (b. 1815), aged 26, British labourer travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lord William Bentinck" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 24th May 1841 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Rousell (post 1700) +

Roger Rousell, English president of the Crewkerne and District Museum, Crewkerne, Somerset
Mr. Kevin Paul Rousell O.B.E. (b. 1964), British Head of Claims Management Regulation for Ministry of Justice, was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to Claims Management Regulation 8
Paul Rousell, New Zealand political candidate for the 1996 General Election
Joel Rousell, Canadian television co-host of Man-Made Food, a Canadian television cooking show
A. R. Rousell, British President of the British Computer Society (1990-1991)
Dr. Aage Rousell (1901-1972), Danish architect, archaeologist and historian, best known for his archaeological work in Greenland in the 1920s and 1930s

The Rousell Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Che sara sara
Motto Translation: What will be will be.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists