NameCensus.

UK surname

Rolleston

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

In the 1881 census there were 77 people recorded with the Rolleston surname, ranking it #22,617 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 91, ranked #32,109, down from #22,617 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ibstock, Hull Holy Trinity and Pampisford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bromley, Blaby and North West Leicestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rolleston is 160 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.2%.

1881 census count

77

Ranked #22,617

Modern count

91

2016, ranked #32,109

Peak year

1911

160 bearers

Map years

5

1851 to 1998

Key insights

  • Rolleston had 77 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,617 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 91 in 2016, ranked #32,109.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 160 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rolleston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rolleston surname density by area, 1998 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rolleston 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 136 #13,892
1861 historical 84 #23,058
1881 historical 77 #22,617
1891 historical 102 #23,719
1901 historical 114 #21,166
1911 historical 160 #17,151
1997 modern 102 #26,638
1998 modern 104 #26,981
1999 modern 102 #27,468
2000 modern 107 #26,700
2001 modern 104 #26,765
2002 modern 105 #27,123
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 99 #28,136
2005 modern 94 #28,973
2006 modern 87 #30,292
2007 modern 86 #30,808
2008 modern 83 #31,483
2009 modern 88 #31,352
2010 modern 91 #31,497
2011 modern 88 #31,801
2012 modern 96 #30,949
2013 modern 90 #32,146
2014 modern 89 #32,409
2015 modern 90 #32,245
2016 modern 91 #32,109

Geography

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Where Rollestons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ibstock, Hull Holy Trinity, Pampisford, Nottingham St Mary and Ilkeston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bromley, Blaby, North West Leicestershire, Poole and Central Bedfordshire. 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 Ibstock Leicestershire
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Pampisford Cambridgeshire
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Ilkeston Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bromley 028 Bromley
2 Blaby 002 Blaby
3 North West Leicestershire 013 North West Leicestershire
4 Poole 003 Poole
5 Central Bedfordshire 028 Central Bedfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rolleston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rolleston

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rolleston, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Rolleston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rolleston household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Rolleston is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Rolleston is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rolleston 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 Rolleston is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Rolleston

The surname "ROLLESTON" is of English origin, deriving from the place name "Rolleston" which itself is composed of the Old English elements "Rodolf" (a personal name) and "tun" (farm or settlement). The name is believed to have originated in the 11th century or earlier, during the Anglo-Saxon period in England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Rolvestune" in Nottinghamshire. This entry suggests that the name was already well-established by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Over the centuries, various spellings of the name emerged, including Rolstone, Rolston, and Rollestone, before settling on the modern form of Rolleston. The name was particularly prevalent in the East Midlands region of England, with several villages and townships bearing the name, such as Rolleston in Nottinghamshire and Rolleston in Staffordshire.

Amongst notable historical figures bearing the surname Rolleston are:

1. Sir John Rolleston (c. 1492 - 1551), an English judge and Chief Justice of the King's Bench during the reign of Edward VI.

2. Samuel Rolleston (1619 - 1691), an English clergyman and author, who served as the rector of Calke in Derbyshire.

3. Frances Rolleston (1781 - 1865), an English writer and poet, known for her work "Mazzaroth; or, the Constellations" published in 1862.

4. George Rolleston (1829 - 1881), an English physician and biologist, who served as the Linacre Professor of Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Oxford.

5. Sir Lancelot Rolleston (1924 - 2010), a British diplomat and author, who served as the Ambassador to the Netherlands from 1976 to 1980.

While the surname Rolleston is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals of notable accomplishments in various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rolleston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rolleston 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. Leicestershire leads with 31 Rollestons recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.75x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 31 36.75x
Yorkshire 11 1.46x
Oxfordshire 6 12.77x
Nottinghamshire 5 4.88x
Essex 4 2.66x
Lancashire 4 0.44x
Middlesex 4 0.53x
Warwickshire 3 1.56x
Cheshire 2 1.19x
Berkshire 1 1.75x
Derbyshire 1 0.84x
Devon 1 0.63x
Kent 1 0.39x
Northamptonshire 1 1.40x
Royal Navy 1 11.03x
Surrey 1 0.27x
Wiltshire 1 1.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 25 Rollestons recorded in 1881 and an index of 121.54x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 25 121.54x
Holy Trinity 7 38.61x
Holywell 6 2727.27x
Manchester 4 9.85x
Scraptoft 4 13333.33x
Bulkington 3 731.71x
Nottingham St Mary 3 11.31x
Stanford Rivers 3 1200.00x
Leicester St Mary 2 29.37x
Macclesfield 2 26.81x
Maltby In Rotherham 2 952.38x
St Pancras London 2 3.27x
Canterbury St Paul 1 212.77x
Chelsea London 1 4.36x
Dartmouth Townstall 1 153.85x
East Retford 1 112.36x
Greasley 1 43.29x
Lambeth 1 1.51x
Lower Dunsforth 1 3333.33x
Marlborough St Mary Virgin 1 212.77x
Old 1 1111.11x
Pontefract 1 61.73x
Repton 1 222.22x
Royal Navy 1 12.90x
Sible Hedingham 1 200.00x
St George Hanover 1 10.07x
Tilehurst 1 86.96x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
Joseph 4
William 4
Charles 2
Christopher 2
James 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Alfred 1
Benjamin 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Humphry 1
Leonard 1
Thos. 1
Vilett 1
W. 1
Wm.G.S. 1

FAQ

Rolleston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rolleston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 77 people were recorded with the Rolleston surname. That placed it at #22,617 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rolleston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 91 in 2016. That gives Rolleston a modern rank of #32,109.

What does the Rolleston surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

What does the Rolleston map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rolleston 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.