Rossums

Rossums is the plural form of the surname Rossum. The name is of Dutch origin and has appeared in historical records as a family name in the Netherlands and among Dutch diaspora communities. As with many surnames, Rossums can refer to multiple people who share the same last name, and it may appear in genealogical and biographical contexts in various countries.

In literature and popular culture, the possessive form Rossum's is famous because of Karel Čapek's 1920 science fiction play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots). In the play, Rossum's Universal Robots is a fictional company that manufactures humanoid workers, and the work is notable for introducing the term robot to modern languages. The use of the surname in the play is purely fictional and serves as a branding device for the company and its robotic products.

Real-world usage of the exact plural Rossums is largely limited to discussions of people who bear the surname Rossum collectively, rather than to a defined group or institution. In contemporary references, individuals with the singular surname Rossum—such as Emmy Rossum, an American actress—are sometimes cited in discussions that also acknowledge the broader surname family, which would include any hypothetical or historical bearers of the plural form.

See also: Rossum, a related surname and place-based name, and the literary use Rossum's in Čapek's R.U.R.