Surname Refus - Meaning and Origin
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Refus: What does the surname Refus mean?
The last name Refus is of French origin, and it means "refuse", as in someone who refuses or rejects something. It is sometimes spelled Refuz, but the pronunciation is the same.
The Refus family was likely a noble family in France, which has been traced back to the 16th century, with the first recorded reference to a family member being Godefroid Refus, a French composer in 1570. It could also be derived from the french word refuser, which translates to “to decline, reject or refuse”.
The surname Refus is found throughout France, including places such as Seine-Maritime and Lorraine, as well as parts of Belgium. The name is also found in Canada, due to the French settlers who migrated there in the 1700 and 1800s.
Several notable people have had the last name Refus, including Gaston Refus, a French geographer and developed theorist, Auguste Refus, a French sculptor, as well as the actor Robert Refus, born in 1917.
The name Refus is unique, and likely tells a story of someone who stood up for what they believed in and refused to give in or back down.
Order DNA origin analysisRefus: Where does the name Refus come from?
The last name Refus is most commonly seen today in France and other French-speaking countries. It is a surname of French origin derived from the Latin "refugere", meaning "to flee".
The earliest records of the Refus family date back to the 13th century, when Pierre Refus was listed as living in a village in the Languedoc region. By the 19th century, the surname had spread to other regions of France, and eventually to other parts of the world with French immigrants.
Today Refus is a popular surname in France and its former colonies in Africa and the Caribbean, with over 400,000 people having the surname. In the United States, it is less common, though there are pockets of people of French descent who still bear the last name Refus.
Along with France, other countries with sizeable populations of people bearing the last name Refus include Canada, Germany, Brazil, Argentina and Spain. People bearing the name are also found in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand, and other places around the world.
Overall, Refus is a relatively common surname today, particularly in French-speaking countries and areas where French culture has shaped the area.
Variations of the surname Refus
The surname Refus has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The most common spelling of the surname Refus in countries of Germanic origin is Rhefuss. In France, a common spelling is Réfuseau. Other spellings include Refuse, Riefuss, and Refuss.
Variant and related surnames include Reifuss, Reiffess, Reifes, Reifs, Refsky, Refuee, Reifuss, Refusniak, Refuso, Refusnik, and Rheffes.
The name also has forms in other languages, such as Refusal in Spanish and Refuso in Italian and Portuguese.
Variants from other countries include Refusov (Ukraine), Refussov (Russia), Refusz (Polish), and Refusnyak (Hungarian).
The name Refus likely originates from a Germanic personal name, possibly with the root “rhef” meaning “counsel.” It can also come from a place name, with roots in Middle Low German “ref” meaning “rafters” or “refen” meaning “referendum,” meaning a “place of debate.” It is likely that the surname originated as a place name and then spread as a surname to other areas.
The name Refus has spread around the world through immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries. The number of people with this surname is still quite small, however, and most of the surviving lines of the family are found primarily in Western Europe.
Famous people with the name Refus
- Rabbie Refus: Famous hip-hop artist from Ontario, Canada.
- Dahnai Refus: Hungarian recording artist who competed in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2018.
- Dovid Refus: Israeli poet and author who wrote the book An Endless Song.
- Artem Refus: Ukrainian contemporary artist and performance artist.
- Ima Refus: South African singer-songwriter known for her soulful voice.
- Tal Refus: Israeli-American world champion percussionist and educator.
- Yoyo Refus: Hong Kong movie star and singer, best known for acting in the film trilogy Chasing Happiness.
- Elisa Refus: Brazilian journalist and television presenter.
- Genell Refus: Ghanaian professional dancer and choreographer.
- Nikita Refus: Russian fashion designer and former model.