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Russel Family History

Russel Name Meaning

English (of Norman origin): variant of Russell . German: from a pet form of Russ see Russ northwest German (Rüssel): probably a variant of Rossel .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Roussel, Rassel, Russell, Russ, Busse, Russeau, Fussell, Russey

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Russel family from?

You can see how Russel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Russel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Russel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 346 Russel families living in Ontario. This was about 42% of all the recorded Russel's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Russel families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Russel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Russel ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Russel. 34% of Russel men worked as a Farmer and 16% of Russel women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Russel were Clerk and Domestic. .

View Census Data for Russel | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    34%
  • Labourer
    13%
  • Laborer
    8%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    16%
  • Teacher
    12%
  • Operator
    10%
  • Domestic
    10%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Russel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 166,000 census records available for the last name Russel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Russel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Russel

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Russel. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Russel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 10,000 military records available for the last name Russel. For the veterans among your Russel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Russel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Russel family history

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What is the average Russel lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Russel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 1963. The average life expectancy for Russel in 1949 was 39, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Russel

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Russel family tree

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