UK surname
Derived from a nickname for someone with red hair.
In the 1881 census there were 43 people recorded with the Roley surname, ranking it #27,575 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 34, ranked #35,768, down from #27,575 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Gateshead and St James Clerkenwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roley is 214 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 20.9%.
1881 census count
43
Ranked #27,575
Modern count
34
2016, ranked #35,768
Peak year
1861
214 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Roley surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Roley surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 63 | #22,069 |
| 1861 | historical | 214 | #11,365 |
| 1881 | historical | 43 | #27,575 |
| 1891 | historical | 107 | #22,967 |
| 1901 | historical | 50 | #28,590 |
| 1911 | historical | 54 | #27,423 |
| 1997 | modern | 30 | #34,701 |
| 1998 | modern | 31 | #34,740 |
| 1999 | modern | 28 | #35,127 |
| 2000 | modern | 23 | #35,588 |
| 2001 | modern | 21 | #35,646 |
| 2002 | modern | 25 | #35,428 |
| 2003 | modern | 30 | #35,046 |
| 2004 | modern | 27 | #35,444 |
| 2005 | modern | 24 | #35,827 |
| 2006 | modern | 28 | #35,665 |
| 2007 | modern | 27 | #35,876 |
| 2008 | modern | 28 | #35,875 |
| 2009 | modern | 31 | #35,794 |
| 2010 | modern | 33 | #35,794 |
| 2011 | modern | 31 | #35,892 |
| 2012 | modern | 32 | #35,820 |
| 2013 | modern | 34 | #35,761 |
| 2014 | modern | 36 | #35,662 |
| 2015 | modern | 35 | #35,702 |
| 2016 | modern | 34 | #35,768 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Gateshead, St James Clerkenwell, St Philip and Jacob and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | Gateshead | Durham |
| 3 | St James Clerkenwell | London (Central Districts) |
| 4 | St Philip and Jacob | Gloucestershire |
| 5 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Roley surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Roley, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Roley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Roley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Roley is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Roley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Roley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname ROLEY is believed to have originated from the Old English word "roelic" or "rolic," which means "illustrious" or "famous." This name is thought to have first emerged in the 8th or 9th century in the Anglo-Saxon regions of England.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ROLEY can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Rolei" in reference to a landowner in the county of Lincolnshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of England by the 11th century.
In the medieval period, the ROLEY surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Nottinghamshire. It is believed to have been associated with several small villages or hamlets bearing similar names, such as Rowley, Rouley, or Roulee.
One notable bearer of the ROLEY name was Sir John Roley, a 14th-century knight from Yorkshire who fought in the Hundred Years' War against the French. He was born around 1320 and died in the Battle of Poitiers in 1356.
Another prominent figure was William Roley, a 16th-century scholar and translator who was born in Yorkshire in 1535. He is best known for his English translation of the philosophical work "The Six Books of a Commonwealth" by the French writer Jean Bodin.
In the 17th century, the ROLEY surname gained some prominence in the field of literature with the poet and playwright Thomas Rowley, who was born in Leicestershire in 1621 and died in 1688. His collection of poetry, titled "The Poems of Thomas Rowley," was highly influential in its time.
A more recent historical figure with the ROLEY surname was Charles Roley, an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for the state of Pennsylvania from 1837 to 1839.
Another notable bearer of the ROLEY name was Elizabeth Roley, a 19th-century British botanist and plant collector who made significant contributions to the study of flora in the Himalayas. She was born in 1828 and died in 1891.
While the ROLEY surname has maintained a presence throughout various regions of England and beyond, its roots can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon era, with its earliest recorded instances appearing in the 11th century and carrying connotations of renown and distinction.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roley surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 13 Roleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.55x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 13 | 2.55x |
| Durham | 11 | 8.62x |
| Middlesex | 11 | 2.56x |
| Surrey | 2 | 0.96x |
| Yorkshire | 2 | 0.47x |
| Buckinghamshire | 1 | 3.85x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 1.49x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.72x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 1.73x |
| Worcestershire | 1 | 1.78x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crook Billy Row in Durham leads with 7 Roleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 429.45x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Crook Billy Row | 7 | 429.45x |
| Parr | 7 | 384.62x |
| Shoreditch London | 6 | 32.26x |
| Ashton Under Lyne | 5 | 44.92x |
| Gateshead | 4 | 41.84x |
| Uxbridge | 3 | 612.24x |
| Camberwell | 2 | 7.30x |
| Basford | 1 | 37.45x |
| Cambuslang | 1 | 71.43x |
| Codnor Park | 1 | 625.00x |
| Kings Norton | 1 | 19.88x |
| Loughton | 1 | 2000.00x |
| Manchester | 1 | 4.37x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 6.34x |
| Poplar London | 1 | 12.35x |
| Tong | 1 | 121.95x |
| Warmfield Cum Heath | 1 | 714.29x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Roley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Roley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Roley households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 9 |
| Coal Miner | 3 |
| Coal Miners Son | 3 |
| Actress | 1 |
| Brickleyers Lab | 1 |
| Coalminer | 1 |
| Dom Servt | 1 |
| Domestic Servant (Indoors) | 1 |
| Farmer 21 Acres | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| Genl Servt | 1 |
| Iron Work | 1 |
| Lace (Brass Bobbin Winder) | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Machinist | 1 |
| Printers Lab | 1 |
| Serv Home At Night | 1 |
| Theatrical Performer (Actor) | 1 |
| Wife Coal Miner | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 43 people were recorded with the Roley surname. That placed it at #27,575 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 34 in 2016. That gives Roley a modern rank of #35,768.
Derived from a nickname for someone with red hair.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Roley bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.