NameCensus.

UK surname

Rollison

An English surname derived from the Norman French given name "Roul", meaning "little red one".

In the 1881 census there were 166 people recorded with the Rollison surname, ranking it #14,496 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 130, ranked #26,152, down from #14,496 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Holy Trinity, Micklegate, Sedgley and Lincoln St Botolph. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, Rother and Babergh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rollison is 206 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 21.7%.

1881 census count

166

Ranked #14,496

Modern count

130

2016, ranked #26,152

Peak year

1891

206 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rollison had 166 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,496 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016, ranked #26,152.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 206 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rollison surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rollison surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rollison 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 127 #14,547
1861 historical 187 #12,690
1881 historical 166 #14,496
1891 historical 206 #14,597
1901 historical 144 #18,505
1911 historical 148 #18,023
1997 modern 171 #19,438
1998 modern 176 #19,584
1999 modern 177 #19,670
2000 modern 165 #20,501
2001 modern 151 #21,375
2002 modern 168 #20,396
2003 modern 157 #21,026
2004 modern 151 #21,720
2005 modern 142 #22,577
2006 modern 143 #22,619
2007 modern 144 #22,804
2008 modern 143 #23,160
2009 modern 145 #23,473
2010 modern 148 #23,697
2011 modern 141 #24,294
2012 modern 139 #24,485
2013 modern 146 #24,107
2014 modern 143 #24,621
2015 modern 132 #25,859
2016 modern 130 #26,152

Geography

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Where Rollisons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Holy Trinity, Micklegate, Sedgley, Lincoln St Botolph, Lambeth and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Norfolk, Rother, Babergh, Chichester and Wealden. 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 Holy Trinity, Micklegate Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Sedgley Staffordshire
3 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Norfolk 003 North Norfolk
2 Rother 003 Rother
3 Babergh 007 Babergh
4 Chichester 008 Chichester
5 Wealden 018 Wealden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rollison

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rollison

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rollison, 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 Rollison surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rollison 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Rollison is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rollison is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rollison falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rollison 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 Rollison, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rollison

The surname Rollison is of English origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Anglo-Norman French personal name "Rollon," which itself is a diminutive form of the Germanic name "Roland." The name Roland is composed of the elements "rod" meaning "fame" and "land" meaning "land" or "territory."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Rollison can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Rolleson." This documentation suggests that the name was already in use during the Norman conquest of England in the 11th century.

The name Rollison is believed to have originated in the county of Lincolnshire, particularly in the areas around Boston and Grantham. Over time, various spellings emerged, such as Rolleston, Rollyson, and Rawlinson, reflecting regional variations and the evolution of the English language.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Rollison include Sir John Rollison (1548-1625), a prominent lawyer and member of the English Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another notable figure was Richard Rollison (1670-1742), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious treatises.

In the 18th century, William Rollison (1738-1804) gained recognition as a successful merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol, while in the 19th century, James Rollison (1812-1887) made his mark as a distinguished architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London.

Moving into the 20th century, Arthur Rollison (1901-1976) was a renowned British artist known for his landscape paintings, particularly those depicting the English countryside.

Throughout its history, the surname Rollison has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, from lawyers and clergymen to merchants, architects, and artists. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread across the globe, reflecting the diverse journeys and contributions of those who bear it.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rollison families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rollison 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. Yorkshire leads with 46 Rollisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.87x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 46 2.87x
Sussex 19 6.96x
Norfolk 17 6.83x
Kent 15 2.71x
Lincolnshire 14 5.41x
Middlesex 13 0.80x
Surrey 12 1.52x
Staffordshire 6 1.10x
Durham 5 1.04x
Lanarkshire 4 0.76x
Lancashire 4 0.21x
Cheshire 3 0.84x
Derbyshire 2 0.79x
Renfrewshire 2 1.59x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.02x
Leicestershire 1 0.56x
Warwickshire 1 0.24x
Worcestershire 1 0.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eastbourne in Sussex leads with 16 Rollisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 127.39x.

Place Total Index
Eastbourne 16 127.39x
Chislehurst 10 337.84x
York Holy Trinity 10 719.42x
Batley 9 59.02x
Sporle With Palgrave 9 2250.00x
Brotton 7 334.93x
Ecclesfield 6 50.98x
Lambeth 6 4.25x
St Peterin Eastgate 6 750.00x
West Lynn 6 1875.00x
Bethnal Green London 5 7.11x
Escomb 5 226.24x
Wandsworth 5 32.07x
Dalziel 4 71.05x
Eynsford 4 421.05x
Hunslet 4 15.99x
Shadwell London 4 88.30x
Welbourn 4 1290.32x
Clifton In York 3 89.29x
Huddersfield 3 12.83x
Laughton In Bourn 3 6000.00x
Sedgley 3 14.78x
Chapel Allerton 2 83.33x
Droylsden 2 31.90x
Glossop Dale 2 16.85x
Inverkip 2 67.57x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 3.45x
Stretton In Chester 2 4000.00x
Uckfield 2 168.07x
Allerton Bywater 1 114.94x
Aston 1 0.89x
Beetley 1 526.32x
Cakemore 1 285.71x
Camberwell 1 0.97x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 17.18x
Lee 1 12.47x
Leicester St Mary 1 6.89x
Liverpool 1 0.86x
Middleton 1 204.08x
Mile End Old Town 1 3.91x
Newport Pagnell 1 48.78x
Normanton 1 20.75x
Poplar London 1 3.27x
St George In East 1 9.08x
St Marylebone London 1 1.16x
Stockport 1 5.43x
Swineshead 1 117.65x
Tipton 1 5.97x
Toxteth Park 1 1.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 7
Sarah 6
Emma 5
Annie 4
Emily 4
Ann 3
Jane 3
Lucy 3
Ada 2
Ellen 2
Florence 2
Rebecca 2
...roline 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Augusta 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Eliza 1
Fanny 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Helena 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lilly 1
Loisa 1
Maranda 1
Maryann 1
Maud 1
Phoebe 1
Pricila 1
Rachel 1
Rhoda 1
Rose 1
Roseanna 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Rollison surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rollison surname in 1881?

In 1881, 166 people were recorded with the Rollison surname. That placed it at #14,496 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rollison surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016. That gives Rollison a modern rank of #26,152.

What does the Rollison surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Norman French given name "Roul", meaning "little red one".

What does the Rollison map show?

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