Surname Ruston - Meaning and Origin
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Ruston: What does the surname Ruston mean?
The surname Ruston is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from a place name. In Old English, "Ruston" could refer to a 'red settlement' or 'rush town.' "Rus" translates to 'rush,' a type of plant that grows in marshy areas, suggesting that the original bearers of the name may have lived in or near a marshland. Alternatively, "rus" could mean 'red,' potentially indicating a settlement where the soil was of a reddish hue or perhaps where red clay was commonly found. The suffix "-ton" is derived from the Old English "tūn," meaning an enclosure, a farmstead, a village, or an estate. Geographic or topographic features often influence surnames in English culture, hence the presence of such names. Therefore, the surname Ruston points to the roots of individuals in a specific geographic area. It is worth highlighting that there are towns named Ruston in England, and the surname might have been used to denote someone coming from that place.
Order DNA origin analysisRuston: Where does the name Ruston come from?
The last name Ruston is most common in the United States and England. In England, it has its roots in the mid-thirteenth century with the first record of the name being Walter Lodouico de Ruiston from Essex in 1338.
In the United States, Ruston is most commonly associated with the small city of Ruston, Louisiana. The city was founded in 1883 by Governor Samuel M. McEnery as a railroad center for the Louisiana and Northern railway. It became a thriving, prosperous city with the expansion of the nearby Lincoln Parish, and the population boom caused by the draining of land for more agricultural use.
As the population increased, more families settled in the area and Ruston was no exception. Many of them adopted the name of the city when they arrived and the last name Ruston became widely used. Today, Ruston is a common last name throughout the United States and England, with large concentrations of the family living in Southern states such as Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas.
Variations of the surname Ruston
The surname Ruston derives from the Old English word rūs/gōs (“wood”, “brushwood”) and tūn (“settlement”). Variants, spellings and surnames from this origin can include Ruston, Rustoun, Rustown, Rustowne, Roston, Riston, Rustin, Russton, Russtown, Russtonne, Ruesiton and Rusteyn.
The surname Ruston is often associated with English families who settled across northern France before the Norman Conquest of 1066. In many cases, one single family had various spellings or dialect variations. For example, the de Ruston family—which came from the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in northern France—had spellings including Ruston, Rushton, and Riston.
In England, the surname Ruston is mainly found in the midlands—predominantly in the counties of Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire, and Leicestershire. In Scotland, the surname Ruston is derived from the Scottish-French border area near the English-Scottish border, and usually has a variant spelling of Rushton.
The name Ruston has been found across the globe, with many immigrating to Scotland, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. Areas in the United States where possibly the most Rustons are descended from include New England, the Mid-Atlantic states, the Midwest, and the southern United States. The first Ruston settlers to arrive in the New World in the 17th century include John Ruston, who arrived in Virginia in 1605, and another John Ruston, who settled in Jamaica in 1699.
Famous people with the name Ruston
- John Ruston: English businessman and sprinter.
- Sir Thomas Ruston: British Royal Navy admiral, most notably during WWII.
- Aaron Ruston: current professional BMX racer.
- Mary Ruston: Doll designer and artist.
- Paul Ruston: Australian Rugby League referee.
- Ben Ruston: Singer-songwriter from Wales.
- Ann Ruston: Australian politician and the current Minister for Families and Social Services.
- Tom Ruston: Former professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL).
- Robert Ruston: Scottish astronaut and space explorer.
- Susan Ruston: American author and poet, known for her writing on civil rights and LGBTQ issues.
- Mike Ruston: Former American football defensive back for the Detroit Lions.
- Tom Ruston: British actor, best known for starring in the film series Hot Fuzz.
- Norman Ruston: Former American baseball player in the Minor Leagues.
- Matt Ruston: American reality television personality, most notably for the show The Amazing Race.
- Tyler Ruston: Professional mixed martial artist.