# Russo (surname)

Russo is a common Southern Italian and Sicilian surname. It is the Southern counterpart of Rossi and comes from a nickname indicating red hair or beard, from russo, russë and russu, from Late Latin russus or rubius, Classical Latin rubeus, "red".

## Geographical distribution

As of 2014, 61.5% of all known bearers of the surname Russo were residents of Italy (frequency 1:277), 18.6% of the United States (1:5,429), 5.1% of Argentina (1:2,347), 4.6% of Brazil (1:12,345), 1.1% of France (1:17,406) and 1.0% of Australia (1:6,667).
In Italy, the frequency of the surname was higher than national average (1:277) in the following regions:
* 1. Campania (1:72)
* 2. Sicily (1:123)
* 3. Calabria (1:155)
* 4. Apulia (1:205)
* 5. Basilicata (1:213)
In Argentina, the frequency of the surname was higher than national average (1:2,347) in the following provinces:
* 1. Buenos Aires (1:1,034)
* 2. Buenos Aires Province (1:1,657)
In the United States, the frequency of the surname was higher than national average (1:5,429) in the following states:
* 1. Connecticut (1:1,360)
* 2. Rhode Island (1:1,384)
* 3. New Jersey (1:1,433)
* 4. New York (1:1,560)
* 5. Massachusetts (1:1,920)
* 6. Florida (1:3,605)
* 7. Pennsylvania (1:3,637)
* 8. New Hampshire (1:3,888)
* 9. Louisiana (1:3,949)
* 10. Delaware (1:3,981)
* 11. Nevada (1:4,507)
* 12. Maine (1:4,594)
In Brazil, the frequency of the surname was higher than national average (1:12,345) only in one state:
* 1. São Paulo (1:4,431)

## Notable people named Russo

* Aaron Russo, libertarian entertainment businessman
* Adam Russo (born 1983), Canadian/Italian professional ice hockey goaltender
* Adriana Russo (born 1954), Italian actress and television personality
* Adriano Russo (born 1987), Italian footballer who plays as a defender
* Albert Russo (born 1943), Belgian bilingual (English and French) writer
* Alecu Russo (1819-1859), Moldavian Romanian writer, literary critic and publicist
* Alejandro Russo (born 1968), Argentine former professional footballer
* Alessia Russo (born 1999), English footballer
* Alexander Russo (writer), education writer
* Alexander Russo (athlete), Brazilian track and field sprinter
* Ana Bedran-Russo (née Ana Karina Bedran de Castro), an associate professor in restorative dentist
* Andrew Russo (born 1975), American pianist
* Andy Russo (born 1948), American college basketball coach
* Angelo Russo (born 1961), Italian actor
* Anna Russo, Italian writer
* Anthony Russo, including:
** Anthony Russo (American football), American football quarterback
** Anthony Russo (director) (born 1970), Emmy Award-winning film and television director
** Anthony Russo (mobster) (1916–1979), Genovese crime family figure
** Anthony Russo (mayor), the 35th mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey
** Anthony Russo (whistleblower) (1936–2008), involved in the Pentagon Papers leak
* Antonino Russo Giusti (1876-1957), Italian dramatist
* Avraam Russo (né Abraham Ipjian in 1969), Syrian-born Russian pop singer of Armenian origin
* Bartolomeo Russo (1866–1941), New Zealand fisherman, horticulturist and farmer
* Basil Russo (born 1946), American attorney, politician of the Democratic Party, and judge
* Bill Russo (1947–2021), American former football coach
* Cailin Russo (born 1993), American model and musician
* Carmen Russo (born 1959) Italian dancer, actress, television personality and singer
* Catherine Allison Russo (born 1976), American healthcare consultant and politician
* Carine Russo (née Collet; born 1962), Belgian politician, member of Ecolo, and author
* Charles-Édouard Russo (born 1980), French professional golfer
* Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo, American sports radio host
* Cristian Cuffaro Russo (born 1988), Argentine footballer
* Cindy Russo (born 1952), American women's basketball head coach
* Claudia Russo (born 1983), Italian candidate for Miss World 2008
* Clement Russo (born 1995), French road and cyclo-cross cyclist
* Clemente Russo (born 1982), Italian Boxer
* Daniel Russo (born 1948), French film actor, comedian and director
* Danilo Russo (born 1987), Italian footballer
* Danny Russo (1885-1944), American violinist and big band leader
* Darko Russo (born 1962), Serbian professional basketball coach
* David C. Russo (born 1953), American Republican Party politician
* Deanna Russo (born 1979), American actress
* Eddie Russo (1925-2012), American racecar driver
* Elena Russo (born 1972), Italian actress of cinema, television and theatre
* Erminia Russo (born 1964), Canadian volleyball player
* Evandro Russo Ramos (born 1985), Brazilian footballer
* Federico Russo (born 1997), Italian actor
* Felice Angelo "Felix" Russo (1926–2005), Australian rules footballer
* Ferdinando Russo (1866–1927), Italian journalist and dialect poet from Naples
* Francesco Russo (footballer) (born 1981), Italian footballer
* Francesco Russo (actor) (born 1993), Italian actor
* Francois Russo (born 1966), the creative director and founder of Maison Takuya
* Frederick Dello Russo, American politician and funeral director
* George Russo (born 1980), English actor
* Giacomo Russo (1937-1967), Italian racing driver
* Giada Russo (born 1997), Italian figure skater
* Gianni Russo (born 1943), American actor and singer
* Giovanni Russo (or Dovani Roso; born 1972), Croatian-born Israeli former footballer
* Giuni Russo (1951–2004), Italian singer-songwriter
* Giuseppe Genco Russo (1893-1976), Italian mafioso
* Giuseppe Russo (born 1983), Italian footballer who plays as a midfielder
* Gus Russo, American author and researcher of the assassination of John F. Kennedy
* James Russo (born 1953), American film and television actor
* Jamie Russo (born 1981), Australian former professional rugby league footballer
* Jason Russo
* Jeff Russo (born 1969), American composer and music producer
* Jonathan Judge-Russo (born 1983), American actor and producer
* Joe Russo, including:
** Joe Russo (director) (born 1971), an Emmy Award-winning film and television director
** Joe Russo (racing driver) (1901–1934), an American auto racer active in the 1930s
** Joe Russo (musician) (b. 1976), a jazz/rock and roll drummer
* John Russo, including:
** John F. Russo (1933–2017), politician from New Jersey
** John A. Russo (born 1939), American screenwriter and film director
** John Russo (baseball) (born 1973), baseball coach
* José Luis Russo (born 1958), Uruguayan former footballer
* Julee Russo (also known as Julee Rosso), American cook and food writer
* Justin Russo (born 1976), American musician
* Kevin Russo (born 1984), American former professional baseball player
* Kristin Russo (born 1980), American speaker, personality, and LGBTQ activist
* Laura Garcia Moreno Russo (1915-2001), Brazilian librarian
* Luciano Russo, Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who works in the diplomatic service of the Holy See
* Lucio F. Russo, American politician
* Lucio Russo, Italian historian of science
* Lucio F. Russo (1912–2004), American lawyer and politician
* Luigi Fontana Russo (1868-1953),Italian economist and lecturer
* Marcella Russo, Australian actress
* Marcelo Fabián Méndez Russo (born 1981), Uruguayan former footballer
* Marcelo Russo Guerreiro Correia (born 1993), Portuguese footballer
* Margaret Russo (1931–2006), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
* Mariné Russo (born 1980), Argentine former field hockey player
* Marcella Russo, Australian actress
* Marco Russo (born 1982), Italian footballer
* Marisabina Russo (née Stark), a children's book author and illustrator
* Marius Russo (1915-2005), American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball
* Martin A. Russo (born 1944), a U.S. Democratic politician and lobbyist
* Martin P. Russo (born 1968), American trial lawyer
* Mario Russo (born 1967), Argentine politician
* Matías Russo (born 1985), Argentine racing driver
* Meredith Russo (born ca 1986/1987), American young adult and middle grade fiction author
* Melissa Russo (born 1968), American television journalist
* Michael Dello-Russo (born 1956), Argentine former football player and manager
* Michael Russo (disambiguation), several people
* Michele Russo (born 1986), Italian footballer in the role of defender
* Michele Russo (bishop) (1945–2019), Italian Roman Catholic bishop of Doba, Chad
* Miguel Ángel Russo (born 1956), Argentine former football player and manager
* Monette Russo (born 1988), Australian former artistic gymnast
* Nadia Russo-Bossie (1901–1988), a pioneering Romanian aviator
* Nancy Russo (born 1943), American psychologist
* Nat Russo (born 1970), American fantasy fiction author
* Neal Russo (1920–1996), American sportswriter
* Nello Russo (born 1981), Italian former footballer
* Nicola Russo (born 1990), Italian football midfielder
* Nicholas Russo (1845–1902), Italian priest, philosopher, Boston College president, and church founder
* Orazio Russo (born 1973), Italian former professional football (soccer) player
* Pasquale Russo (born 1947), Italian Camorrista and boss
* Pat Russo (born 1941), American model
* Patricia Russo (born 1952), American businessperson
* Patti Russo (born 1966), American singer, songwriter and actress
* Paul Russo (1914-1976), American racecar driver
* Paul A. Russo (born 1943), American diplomat
* Peter Russo (born 1959), Australian former rules footballer
* Peter Russo (politician) (born 1955), Australian politician
* Pietro Russo (fl. 1507), Sicilian mapmaker
* Philippe Russo (born 1961), French singer-songwriter
* Pietro Paolo Russo (1611–1657), Roman Catholic bishop of Nusco
* Raffaele Russo (born 1999), Italian football player
* Rebecca Russo (born 1992), American-born women's ice hockey player
* Renato Russo (1960-1996), Brazilian singer and songwriter
* Rene Russo (born 1954), American actress, producer and model
* Riccardo Russo (born 1992), Italian motorcycle racer
* Richard Russo (born 1954), American novelist
* Richard Paul Russo, American science fiction writer
* Robbie Russo (born 1993), American ice hockey defenceman
* Roberto Russo (musician) (born 1966), Italian pianist and composer
* Rosa Russo Iervolino, Italian politician and former Mayor of Naples
* Russ Russo (born 1975), American film actor
* Ry Russo-Young (born 1981), American filmmaker
* Salvatore Russo (born 1958), Italian Camorrista and boss of the Russo clan
* Salvatore Russo (footballer) (born 1971), Italian former footballer
* Sarina Russo (born 1951), Italian entrepreneur
* Sean Russo (born 1991), Australian swimmer
* Santo J. "Sonny" Russo (1929–2013), American jazz trombonist
* Stefano Russo (footballer, born 1989), Italian footballer
* Stefano Russo (footballer, born 2000), German-Italian footballer
* Tal Russo, Israeli general
* Thomas "Thom" Russo, American record producer, engineer, mixer and songwriter
* Tommaso Russo (born 1971), Italian boxer
* Vanessa Rousso (also known as Vanessa Ashley Rousso; born 1983), American professional poker player
* Vince Russo, American author, podcaster, professional wrestling writer and pundit
* Vincenza Carrieri-Russo (born 1984), American model, actress, entrepreneur and beauty pageant titleholder
* Vito Russo (1946-1990), American LGBT activist, film historian and author
* Vittorio Russo (born 1939), Italian football manager and former player
* William Russo (musician) (1928-2003), American composer, arranger, and musician

## Fictional characters

* Alex Russo, one of the main characters in the TV Series Wizards of Waverly Place
* Billy Russo, Marvel comic villain
* Blossom Russo, one of the main characters on the TV series Blossom
* Coach Russo, a character from the series The Amazing World of Gumball
* Dominic Russo, one of the main characters on the TV series Chasing Life
* Giada Russo, one of the main characters in the TV Series Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
* Jerry Russo, one of the main characters in the TV Series Wizards of Waverly Place
* Jamie Russo, a character from the series The Amazing World of Gumball
* Justin Russo, one of the main characters in the TV Series Wizards of Waverly Place and Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
* Ladd Russo, one of the main characters in the anime series Baccano!
* Max Russo, one of the main characters in the TV Series Wizards of Waverly Place
* Milo Russo, one of the main characters in the TV Series Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
* Peter Russo, a character on the TV series House of Cards
* Roman Russo, one of the main characters in the TV Series Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
* Theresa Russo, one of the main characters in the TV Series Wizards of Waverly Place
* Tina Russo, one of the main characters in the TV series The Looney Tunes Show