NameCensus.

UK surname

Rolls

An occupational surname derived from the Old French term for a maker or supplier of rolls or loaves of bread.

In the 1881 census there were 1,330 people recorded with the Rolls surname, ranking it #3,086 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,886, ranked #3,373, down from #3,086 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Vale of White Horse, West Dorset and Merthyr Tydfil.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rolls is 1,999 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.8%.

1881 census count

1,330

Ranked #3,086

Modern count

1,886

2016, ranked #3,373

Peak year

1999

1,999 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rolls had 1,330 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,086 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,886 in 2016, ranked #3,373.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,714 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rolls surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rolls surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rolls 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 893 #3,078
1861 historical 903 #3,067
1881 historical 1,330 #3,086
1891 historical 1,404 #3,101
1901 historical 1,575 #3,275
1911 historical 1,714 #2,857
1997 modern 1,921 #3,146
1998 modern 1,994 #3,165
1999 modern 1,999 #3,180
2000 modern 1,981 #3,191
2001 modern 1,924 #3,207
2002 modern 1,989 #3,191
2003 modern 1,924 #3,212
2004 modern 1,892 #3,252
2005 modern 1,870 #3,257
2006 modern 1,842 #3,309
2007 modern 1,835 #3,340
2008 modern 1,824 #3,396
2009 modern 1,860 #3,413
2010 modern 1,896 #3,426
2011 modern 1,903 #3,372
2012 modern 1,893 #3,334
2013 modern 1,912 #3,363
2014 modern 1,920 #3,367
2015 modern 1,913 #3,339
2016 modern 1,886 #3,373

Geography

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Where Rolls' are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Vale of White Horse, West Dorset and Merthyr Tydfil. 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 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Melcombe Regis Dorset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Vale of White Horse 011 Vale of White Horse
2 Vale of White Horse 014 Vale of White Horse
3 Vale of White Horse 015 Vale of White Horse
4 West Dorset 010 West Dorset
5 Merthyr Tydfil 004 Merthyr Tydfil

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rolls

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rolls

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Rolls is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rolls 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

Rolls falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Rolls

The surname Rolls is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period in England. It is believed to be a toponymic name, derived from the Old English word "roll," meaning a roll or bundle of cloth or parchment.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Rolle" in the county of Derbyshire. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name or a descriptive reference to someone who worked with rolls of cloth or parchment.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname Rolls began to emerge in various parts of England, including Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Yorkshire. It is likely that the name spread as people migrated from one region to another, carrying their surnames with them.

One notable individual with the surname Rolls was Richard Rolls, a 14th-century English landowner and Justice of the Peace from Monmouth. He was born around 1320 and served as a member of the Parliament of England in 1376.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in the form "Rolles" in the records of the Chancery Court of Somerset. This variation in spelling was common during that era, as standardized spellings were not yet established.

Another prominent figure with the Rolls surname was John Rolls, a wealthy merchant and benefactor from Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. Born in the late 15th century, he was a contemporary of William Shakespeare and is believed to have been acquainted with the renowned playwright.

During the 16th century, the name Rolls was found in various records across England, including parish registers and tax rolls. One example is William Rolls, a landowner from Oxfordshire who was born in 1558 and died in 1624.

In the 17th century, the name Rolls gained prominence with the birth of Samuel Rolls in 1588 in Cheshire. He was a notable figure in the Civil War and served as a colonel in the Parliamentarian army under Oliver Cromwell.

The 18th century saw the rise of Charles Rolls, an English businessman and co-founder of the renowned Rolls-Royce automobile company. Born in 1877 in Berkshire, he was a pioneer in the early days of aviation and tragically lost his life in a plane crash in 1910.

Throughout its history, the surname Rolls has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, merchants, soldiers, and industrialists, reflecting the diverse origins and paths of those who carried this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rolls families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rolls 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. Dorset leads with 234 Rolls' recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.38x.

County Total Index
Dorset 234 27.38x
Middlesex 187 1.44x
Surrey 153 2.41x
Hampshire 80 3.00x
Bedfordshire 63 9.34x
Kent 59 1.33x
Somerset 58 2.77x
Berkshire 51 5.22x
Lancashire 39 0.25x
Buckinghamshire 35 4.45x
Cambridgeshire 28 3.39x
Glamorgan 28 1.23x
Huntingdonshire 27 10.44x
Gloucestershire 22 0.86x
Northumberland 21 1.08x
Lanarkshire 19 0.45x
Sussex 18 0.82x
Midlothian 17 0.97x
Wiltshire 14 1.22x
Worcestershire 13 0.76x
Durham 12 0.31x
Hertfordshire 12 1.34x
Oxfordshire 12 1.49x
Devon 10 0.37x
Fife 10 1.30x
Staffordshire 10 0.23x
Warwickshire 10 0.30x
West Lothian 10 5.10x
Yorkshire 10 0.08x
Herefordshire 7 1.31x
Shropshire 7 0.62x
Suffolk 6 0.38x
Channel Islands 5 1.30x
Denbighshire 5 1.02x
Derbyshire 5 0.25x
Essex 5 0.19x
Royal Navy 5 3.22x
Banffshire 4 1.48x
Monmouthshire 4 0.42x
Ross-shire 4 1.12x
Norfolk 3 0.15x
Angus 2 0.17x
Northamptonshire 2 0.16x
Perthshire 2 0.34x
Argyllshire 1 0.28x
Ayrshire 1 0.10x
Cheshire 1 0.03x
Cornwall 1 0.07x
Leicestershire 1 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x
Renfrewshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Melcombe Regis in Dorset leads with 33 Rolls' recorded in 1881 and an index of 93.17x.

Place Total Index
Melcombe Regis 33 93.17x
Heath Reach 31 647.18x
Lambeth 24 2.11x
St Pancras London 24 2.29x
Camberwell 23 2.76x
Bray 21 73.12x
Hampstead London 21 10.35x
Holdenhurst 21 30.00x
Portsea 20 3.82x
Croydon 15 4.26x
St Andrewthe Less 15 15.92x
Weedon 15 777.20x
Eastbourne 14 13.86x
Haselbury Bryan 14 436.14x
Merthyr Tydfil 13 5.96x
Winterborne Abbas 13 1477.27x
Bedford St Cuthbert 12 200.33x
Cheshunt 12 38.24x
Christchurch 12 20.73x
Wantage 12 77.02x
St George Hanover 11 6.47x
St Marylebone London 11 1.58x
Wells St Cuthbert 11 76.92x
Blandford Forum 10 59.31x
Croscombe 10 387.60x
Fifehead Neville 10 1886.79x
Islington London 10 0.79x
Kensington London 10 1.38x
Sunbury 10 63.94x
Wycombe 10 17.04x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 2.66x
Beddington 9 36.67x
Bedford St Paul 9 19.46x
Carshalton 9 37.07x
Dalmeny 9 120.00x
Maiden Newton 9 251.40x
Marnhull 9 144.69x
Penge 9 10.82x
Pershore St Andrew 9 95.95x
Portland 9 19.58x
South Leith 9 4.58x
Tottenham 9 4.34x
Bedminster 8 4.06x
Edmonton 8 7.62x
Eglwysilan 8 20.34x
Fen Stanton 8 168.07x
Hackney London 8 1.10x
Kingston On Thames 8 5.25x
Shadwell London 8 21.95x
Stinsford 8 529.80x
Sutton 8 17.43x
Westoe 8 3.64x
Aston 7 0.77x
Battersea 7 1.46x
Buckland 7 551.18x
Eardisley 7 181.35x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 1.00x
Glasgow 7 0.94x
Milton Abbas 7 167.06x
Newington 7 1.46x
Paddington London 7 1.46x
Potsgrove 7 777.78x
South Stoneham 7 12.09x
Westgate 7 5.83x
Berwick Upon Tweed 6 14.61x
Bloxworth 6 517.24x
Bristol St George 6 5.08x
Deptford St Paul 6 1.75x
East Coker 6 130.72x
Emberton 6 208.33x
Everton 6 1.22x
Horsforth 6 21.21x
Milton In Milton 6 31.76x
North Leigh 6 205.48x
Papworth Everard 6 1034.48x
Poole St James 6 18.69x
West Lulworth 6 397.35x
Weymouth 6 37.06x
Woodbury 6 74.63x
Scoonie 5 29.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 63
John 57
George 54
Charles 42
Thomas 35
James 34
Henry 25
Frederick 23
Arthur 22
Edward 20
Alfred 17
Joseph 16
Richard 14
Harry 11
Walter 10
Samuel 9
Albert 8
David 8
Frank 7
Herbert 7
Robert 7
Edmund 5
Thos. 5
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Francis 4
Fred 4
Fredrick 4
Harold 4
Percy 4
Wm. 4
Benjamin 3
Ralph 3
Sidney 3
Tom 3
Alexander 2
Aurther 2
Daniel 2
Josh. 2
Leonard 2
Peter 2
Stephen 2
Clement 1
Elija 1
Elijah 1
Ellis 1
Emily 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Rolls surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rolls surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,330 people were recorded with the Rolls surname. That placed it at #3,086 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rolls surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,886 in 2016. That gives Rolls a modern rank of #3,373.

What does the Rolls surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Old French term for a maker or supplier of rolls or loaves of bread.

What does the Rolls map show?

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