The Russel Family Name

The last name Russel is a variant form of Russell, a well-known English family name. At root, the name means “Little red one”.

A variant of Russell

Russel drops the “l” of Russell, a shortening that clerks often made. Census takers and immigration officers often wrote what they heard. Other spellings include Rousell and Rowsell.

Arms associated with the name

A coat of arms belongs to a particular family line rather than to everyone named Russel, so the heraldry linked to Russell is a starting point, not an automatic right.

Want more than a summary? See the Russel family name pack.