NameCensus.

UK surname

Roffe

A locational surname likely referring to someone who dwelt at the roughs or rough lands.

In the 1881 census there were 351 people recorded with the Roffe surname, ranking it #8,742 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 609, ranked #8,609, up from #8,742 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough and Whittering. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stroud, South Holland and Isle of Anglesey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roffe is 619 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.5%.

1881 census count

351

Ranked #8,742

Modern count

609

2016, ranked #8,609

Peak year

1998

619 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roffe had 351 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,742 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 609 in 2016, ranked #8,609.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 559 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Roffe surname distribution map

The map shows where the Roffe surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Roffe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Roffe over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 261 #8,490
1861 historical 259 #9,561
1881 historical 351 #8,742
1891 historical 419 #8,551
1901 historical 487 #8,208
1911 historical 559 #7,195
1997 modern 599 #8,153
1998 modern 619 #8,209
1999 modern 601 #8,430
2000 modern 587 #8,532
2001 modern 578 #8,506
2002 modern 580 #8,639
2003 modern 577 #8,555
2004 modern 593 #8,419
2005 modern 575 #8,523
2006 modern 569 #8,612
2007 modern 564 #8,730
2008 modern 564 #8,792
2009 modern 584 #8,761
2010 modern 607 #8,710
2011 modern 607 #8,613
2012 modern 604 #8,562
2013 modern 604 #8,703
2014 modern 610 #8,692
2015 modern 614 #8,573
2016 modern 609 #8,609

Geography

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Where Roffes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough, Whittering and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stroud, South Holland, Isle of Anglesey, Forest of Dean and Colchester. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
3 Whittering Lincolnshire
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stroud 004 Stroud
2 South Holland 010 South Holland
3 Isle of Anglesey 006 Isle of Anglesey
4 Forest of Dean 007 Forest of Dean
5 Colchester 021 Colchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Roffe

These lists show first names that appear often with the Roffe surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Roffe

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Roffe, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Roffe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Roffe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Roffe is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Roffe is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Roffe falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Roffe is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Roffe, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Roffe

The surname Roffe is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English word "rof," meaning "robust" or "strong." The name was initially used as a nickname for a person of considerable physical strength or stature.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the earliest known record of surnames in England, several entries mention individuals with the name Roffe or similar spellings, such as Roff or Rufus. These entries indicate that the name was already established in various parts of the country, particularly in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Roffe was Richard Roffe, who lived in Lincolnshire in the late 12th century. Records show that he held land in the village of Kirkby-on-Bain. Another notable bearer of the name was Sir John Roffe, a knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War.

The surname Roffe has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Rufforth, a village in North Yorkshire, and Rufford, a town in Nottinghamshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname, such as Rufford or Rufforth.

In the 16th century, a prominent member of the Roffe family was William Roffe, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire. He was born in 1520 and played an active role in local affairs, serving as a magistrate and sheriff.

Another notable individual with the surname Roffe was Samuel Roffe, born in 1655, who was a renowned clockmaker and watchmaker in London. His intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the elite of his time.

In the 18th century, John Roffe, born in 1712 in Derbyshire, made a name for himself as a talented architect. He designed several notable buildings, including the Shire Hall in Nottingham and the parish church of St. Mary's in Stamford, Lincolnshire.

Throughout its history, the surname Roffe has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including tradesmen, military personnel, and professionals. While not as common as some other English surnames, it has left a lasting mark on the cultural and historical landscapes of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Roffe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roffe surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 56 Roffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.64x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 56 1.64x
Kent 53 4.54x
Surrey 44 2.64x
Northamptonshire 43 13.35x
Hertfordshire 33 13.98x
Sussex 19 3.29x
Wiltshire 17 5.61x
Bedfordshire 15 8.46x
Gloucestershire 14 2.08x
Leicestershire 11 2.90x
Berkshire 10 3.89x
Suffolk 9 2.16x
Durham 8 0.79x
Lancashire 7 0.17x
Hampshire 5 0.71x
Essex 4 0.59x
Derbyshire 1 0.19x
Staffordshire 1 0.09x
Yorkshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wittering in Northamptonshire leads with 37 Roffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 11935.48x.

Place Total Index
Wittering 37 11935.48x
Watford 21 114.75x
Tonbridge 19 45.10x
Islington London 17 5.12x
Great Bedwin 13 604.65x
Knighton 11 514.02x
Millbrook 11 3437.50x
Kensington London 10 5.25x
Northleach 8 808.08x
Richmond 8 34.22x
Speen 8 190.02x
Westminster St John 8 19.18x
Camberwell 7 3.20x
Deptford St Paul 7 7.77x
Hastings St Clement 7 128.91x
Lewisham 7 11.24x
St Pancras London 7 2.54x
Tudeley 7 1093.75x
Ware 7 103.55x
Clifton 6 196.72x
Kingston On Thames 6 14.97x
Poplar London 6 9.29x
Bishopwearmouth 5 5.72x
Hastings St Mary 5 34.79x
Bermondsey 4 3.92x
Marlborough St Mary Virgin 4 187.79x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 5.81x
Wandsworth 4 12.14x
Aldenham 3 139.53x
Beddington 3 46.51x
Blundeston 3 357.14x
Combs 3 215.83x
Hastings All Sts 3 55.15x
Hastings St Mary In The 3 24.35x
Houghton Conquest 3 410.96x
Hound 3 63.03x
Newington 3 2.37x
Prestbury 3 180.72x
Speldhurst 3 50.42x
St George Hanover 3 6.71x
Sunderland 3 16.68x
West Ham 3 2.01x
Wittersham 3 288.46x
Barnack 2 289.86x
Cookham 2 24.97x
Deptford St Nicholas 2 21.58x
Horringer 2 256.41x
Reigate Foreign 2 11.07x
Sevenhampton 2 338.98x
Southorpe 2 1000.00x
Battersea 1 0.79x
Bedford St Paul 1 8.22x
Blackwell 1 38.02x
Chelsea London 1 0.97x
Cheriton 1 21.01x
Chertsey 1 9.28x
Drayton Bassett 1 192.31x
Ealing 1 3.27x
Eynsford 1 50.00x
Folkestone 1 4.41x
Gloucester St Nicholas 1 32.15x
Hammersmith London 1 1.19x
Hertford St Andrew 1 34.36x
Hornsey 1 2.31x
Hove 1 3.95x
Leyton Low 1 7.28x
Lowestoft 1 5.08x
Marske In Guisbrough 1 16.58x
Newport 1 26.25x
Peterborough 1 4.29x
Sevenoaks 1 10.56x
St Albans St Stephen 1 48.54x
St Faith Winchester 1 30.58x
St Marylebone London 1 0.55x
Sundridge 1 51.28x
Sutton 1 8.29x
Westhoughton 1 9.23x
Yarwell 1 222.22x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Roffe surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 22
Sarah 13
Elizabeth 12
Emma 9
Alice 8
Jane 7
Annie 6
Emily 6
Edith 5
Ellen 5
Eliza 4
Ann 3
Caroline 3
Hannah 3
Harriett 3
Kate 3
Lucy 3
Margaret 3
Susan 3
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Cecile 2
Fanny 2
Florance 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Buston 1
Charlote 1
Charlotte 1
E.J. 1
Elenor 1
Elizabth 1
Esther 1
Gertrude 1
Infant 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Jemima 1
Jesse 1
Johannah 1
Jula 1
Julia 1
Katie 1
Lilian 1
Lizzie 1
Lydia 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Roffe surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

FAQ

Roffe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roffe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 351 people were recorded with the Roffe surname. That placed it at #8,742 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roffe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 609 in 2016. That gives Roffe a modern rank of #8,609.

What does the Roffe surname mean?

A locational surname likely referring to someone who dwelt at the roughs or rough lands.

What does the Roffe map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Roffe bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.