For More Information on the Russ Family
Visit the Russ Family on FamilyPedia
Use the ‘Family Trees’ links button in the Header Bar.
Browse the BMD Registration of Births in the ‘Family Names Intro’ Page, which includes a list of Russ's born in the Registration District of Keynsham, Bristol, including the Bitton Area.
Migration of the Russ Family Across Britain
The above map (displaying the counties as they are today) shows about 80% of Russ's born in England and Wales between 1837 and 1879, according to registration of Births in St. Catherine House. Due to boundary changes since the Victorian period it was not possible to allocate 19.85% of the recorded births to any particular modern day county. Nevertheless, the above map is striking in that is shows a concentration of Russ births in Somerset and of course London, with recorded births rapidly dropping-off the further the distance from these two epicentres. It also shows a drift Northwards from Somerset (with 51 recorded births in the Bristol area) and a drift southwards of London. These statistics would suggest that the Russ origins is firmly placed in Somerset. However, at the time these statistics were collected no information was available for Devon or Cornwall. Further research suggests the origins of Russ was Devon around 1066.
From Somerset to Bitton, Bristol
Most of the Russ’s on my family tree emanate from the Bitton area of Bristol. Historically, Bitton was in Gloucestershire but due to boundary changes is now part of Bristol.
BRISTOL
Early in the 20th century the County of Bristol was enlarged to include many parishes that were previously in Gloucestershire and Somerset e.g. Bitton, Keynsham, Oldland, Soundwell, Kingswood and Wick etc.
Prior to about 1800 when around 10 Russ's moved into the Bristol area there appears to be few Russ's in the area. Therefore, although there is not currently enough information to link all the Bitton Russ's together into one family tree, it is likely that if more information became available it would show many if not most of these families as being closely linked e.g. brothers and sisters that moved to the area with their parents, or close cousins?