Show ContentsRust History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Rust family

The surname Rust was first found in Kent where the source Old English Bynames listed Cenwold Rust there (1016-1020.) 1 As this was before the Domesday Book of 1086, one can presume with some certainly that the family was Saxon. The name is derived from the Old English "rust" or "roust" and was typically a nickname for someone with "reddish hair or complexion." 2 1

Continuing our search through early rolls, we found Robert Rust at Winton, Hampshire in 1148 and Richard Rust in the Hundredorum Rolls for Norfolk in 1273. 1

The name "still flourishes in Norfolk, where it is found in the 13th century." 3 Other entries in the Hundredorum Rolls include: Robert Rust, Huntingdonshire; Thomas Rust, Cambridgeshire; and Peter Rust, Norfolk. 3

Far to the north in Scotland, it was a well-known Aberdeenshire surname. William Roust was a tenant in Auchinanzie in 1511. Robert Roust was a notary in Aberdeen in 1540. Alexander Roust was a witness in Linlithgow in 1538 and Phillip Roust was burgess of Aberdeen in 1591. 4

Early History of the Rust family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rust research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1148, 1492, 1563, 1588, 1606, 1637, 1649, 1650, 1661, 1662, 1664, 1665, 1667, 1670, 1680, 1694, 1711, 1789 and 1874 are included under the topic Early Rust History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rust Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Rust, Ruste, Roost, Roust, Roast and others.

Early Notables of the Rust family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • George Rust (died 1670), English divine, Bishop of Dromore, a native of Cambridge. He became a fellow of Christ's College in 1649, and proceeded M.A. in 1650. Soon after the Restoration, Rust was invi...
  • Tobias Rustat (c. 1606-1694), was an English university benefactor, born at Barrow-upon-Soar, Leicestershire, and said to have been the descendant of a refugee from Saxony, was the grandson of William...

Rust Ranking

In the United States, the name Rust is the 3,101st most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 5


Rust migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rust Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John Rust, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 6
  • Bernhardt Rust, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 6
  • Christian Rust, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 6
  • Bastian Rust, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1754 6
Rust Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Caroline Rust, aged 15, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1845 6
  • Fried Rust, aged 8, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1845 6
  • Frederick Rust, who landed in America in 1860 6
  • Ernest Rust, aged 45, who landed in New York, NY in 1869 6
  • Andrew Rust, who landed in Arkansas in 1893 6

Rust migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rust Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Daniel Rust, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
  • Dorothea Rust, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1757
  • Elisabeth Rust, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
  • George Rust, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1757
Rust Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Ferdinand Rust, aged 18, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1855

Rust migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Rust Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Rust, English convict who was convicted in Bedfordshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Eden" on 27th August 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
  • Mr. William Rust, English convict who was convicted in Bedford, Befordshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Candahar" on 26th March 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
  • Robert Rust, English convict from Cambridge, who was transported aboard the "Adelaide" on August 08, 1849, settling in Van Diemen's Land and Port Phillip, Australia 9
  • Mary Ann Rust, aged 34, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Caroline" 10
  • William Rust, aged 35, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Punjab"

Contemporary Notables of the name Rust (post 1700) +

  • Rodney A. "Rod" Rust (1928-2018), American football player and coach, head coach of the New England Patriots of the National Football League
  • D.L. "Rusty" Rust (b. 1932), American artist
  • Reginald Porter Rust (1909-1984), American football running back in the National Football League
  • Paul Robert Rust (b. 1981), American actor, comedian and writer
  • Richard Rust (1938-1994), American actor of stage, television, and film
  • Albert Rust (1818-1870), member of the United States House of Representatives from Arkansas
  • Charles J. Rust, American politician, Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives from Oakland County 3rd District, 1944 11
  • Carl A. Rust, American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Texas City, Texas, 1954 11
  • Aloney W. Rust, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Franklin County, 1909 11
  • Albert Rust (1818-1870), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Arkansas State House of Representatives, 1842-48, 1852-54; U.S. Representative from Arkansas 2nd District, 1855-57, 1859-61; Defeated, 1846 11
  • ... (Another 25 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

USS Indianapolis
  • Edwin Leroy Rust, American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 12


Suggested Readings for the name Rust +

  • Back When and Now: History of the Family of Agnes Rust Gordon Smith by Agnes Rust Gordon Smith.
  • Rust: a History of the Clark County, Ohio Pioneer Family by William Lester Griffin.

  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  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)
  4. 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)
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. 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)
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th October 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eden
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/candahar
  9. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 17) Adelaide voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Port Phillip, Australia in 1849 with 303 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adelaide/1849
  10. South Australian Register Thursday 26th April 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Caroline 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/caroline1855.shtml
  11. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  12. Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew


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