Suellia gens
The gens Suellia was a minor plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens first appear in the time of the Republic, but few are mentioned by ancient writers. Others are known from inscriptions. The Suellii are easily confused with the Suilii, although there is a possibility that the two gentes were in fact identical. The most illustrious of this family was probably Gnaeus Suellius Rufus Marcianus, who was consul during the reign of Commodus. Origin. The nomen "Suellius" appears to belong to a class of gentilicia typically formed from cognomina with diminutive endings, such as ', or  the double diminutive ', but occasionally formed directly from surnames without these endings. The greater number of Suellii mentioned in inscriptions came from Samnium, strongly indicating that this gens was of Samnite origin. Praenomina. The Suellii used a variety of common praenomina, chiefly "Marcus", "Gnaeus", and "Gaius". One of the earlier inscriptions provides an example of the relatively distinctive praenomen "Vibius", which was relatively uncommon at Rome, although more abundant in the countryside. Branches and cognomina. Most of the Suellii known from epigraphy lived during imperial times, when the surnames assumed by the Roman nobility were highly changeable, but a distinct  family of the Suellii at Ligures Baebiani, where they bore the cognomina "Flaccus" and "Rufus". Both of these belonged to an abundant type of cognomen derived from the physical features of individuals, with "Flaccus" designating someone flabby, or with large or floppy ears, while "Rufus", "reddish", usually referred to someone with red hair. This family may have originated at Beneventum. "Quartus", the surname of a colonial family of north Africa, would originally have designated a fourth son or fourth child.