Italian surname
Red-haired
Descriptive surname
Russo is a southern Italian variant of Rossi, also meaning 'red' or 'red-haired'. It is the most common surname in southern Italy and Sicily. Like Rossi, it began as a nickname for people with red hair or a ruddy complexion.
The name is extremely frequent in the Italian south and among Italian emigrants from that region. It illustrates the regional variation in Italian surname forms for the same underlying meaning.
Build a family tree with everyone's actual names, photos and relationships.
Red-haired. A southern Italian variant of "rosso" (red).
Russo is a Italian-origin surname. Popularity varies widely by country and region, and the same surname can be common in one place and rare in another.
Yes. Surnames, especially occupational and descriptive ones like this, were often adopted independently by many unrelated families who happened to share a trade, appearance, or location.
No account or personal details are required to look up a surname's meaning - this page is static reference content.