UK surname
A locational surname derived from a place name containing the elements "rose" and "wall".
In the 1881 census there were 109 people recorded with the Rosewall surname, ranking it #18,793 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 65, ranked #34,017, down from #18,793 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Agnes, Camborne and Towednack. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rosewall is 129 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 40.4%.
1881 census count
109
Ranked #18,793
Modern count
65
2016, ranked #34,017
Peak year
1851
129 bearers
Map years
2
1851 to 1881
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Rosewall surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Rosewall surname density by area, 1881 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 | 129 | #14,406 |
| 1861 | historical | 91 | #22,206 |
| 1881 | historical | 109 | #18,793 |
| 1891 | historical | 81 | #26,632 |
| 1901 | historical | 58 | #27,724 |
| 1911 | historical | 58 | #27,001 |
| 1997 | modern | 61 | #31,526 |
| 1998 | modern | 65 | #31,477 |
| 1999 | modern | 63 | #31,798 |
| 2000 | modern | 68 | #31,380 |
| 2001 | modern | 64 | #31,602 |
| 2002 | modern | 68 | #31,626 |
| 2003 | modern | 70 | #31,486 |
| 2004 | modern | 69 | #31,784 |
| 2005 | modern | 73 | #31,616 |
| 2006 | modern | 71 | #32,147 |
| 2007 | modern | 70 | #32,580 |
| 2008 | modern | 75 | #32,373 |
| 2009 | modern | 82 | #32,048 |
| 2010 | modern | 78 | #32,848 |
| 2011 | modern | 66 | #33,768 |
| 2012 | modern | 57 | #34,452 |
| 2013 | modern | 59 | #34,435 |
| 2014 | modern | 61 | #34,343 |
| 2015 | modern | 64 | #34,112 |
| 2016 | modern | 65 | #34,017 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Agnes, Camborne, Towednack, Crowan and Calstock. 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 Agnes | Cornwall |
| 2 | Camborne | Cornwall |
| 3 | Towednack | Cornwall |
| 4 | Crowan | Cornwall |
| 5 | Calstock | Cornwall |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Rosewall 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 Rosewall, 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 Rosewall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Rosewall 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, Rosewall 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 Rosewall is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Rosewall, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Rosewall is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "rose" and "walle," which together mean "a rose-covered wall or embankment." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near or owned property with a rose-covered wall or embankment.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Rosewall can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1379, where it appears as "Rosewalle." This demonstrates that the name has been in use for several centuries.
In the 16th century, the Rosewall family was well-established in Lancashire, with records showing that a John Rosewall was born in Oldham around 1550. During this time, variations in spelling were common, and the name was sometimes written as "Rosewall," "Roswall," or "Rosewalle."
The Rosewall surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir John Rosewall, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Lancashire who lived during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the late 16th century.
Another significant figure was Thomas Rosewall, a Puritan minister who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s and became one of the founders of the town of Rowley, Massachusetts.
In the 18th century, Richard Rosewall (1720-1793) was a prominent lawyer and judge in London, known for his expertise in property law.
Moving into the 19th century, James Rosewall (1809-1892) was a successful industrialist and philanthropist from Yorkshire, who made his fortune in the textile industry.
More recently, Kenneth Rosewall (born 1934) is an Australian tennis player who was a dominant force in the sport during the 1950s and 1960s, winning multiple Grand Slam titles and being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
While the Rosewall name has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly Australia and North America, through immigration and migration patterns over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rosewall 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. Cornwall leads with 80 Rosewalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 66.47x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | 80 | 66.47x |
| Monmouthshire | 14 | 18.22x |
| Lancashire | 6 | 0.48x |
| Surrey | 5 | 0.97x |
| Middlesex | 2 | 0.19x |
| Buckinghamshire | 1 | 1.56x |
| Devon | 1 | 0.45x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Ives in Cornwall leads with 37 Rosewalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 1567.80x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| St Ives | 37 | 1567.80x |
| Madron Penzance | 11 | 251.14x |
| St Agnes | 11 | 650.89x |
| Crowan | 10 | 1052.63x |
| Bedwellty | 8 | 58.95x |
| Great Little Marsden | 6 | 103.81x |
| Trevethin | 6 | 82.64x |
| Camborne | 4 | 80.65x |
| Kingston On Thames | 4 | 32.15x |
| St Cleer | 4 | 384.62x |
| Falmouth | 1 | 23.47x |
| Great Marlow | 1 | 57.80x |
| Hammersmith London | 1 | 3.82x |
| Kenwyn | 1 | 31.75x |
| Lambeth | 1 | 1.08x |
| Liskeard | 1 | 49.75x |
| Plymouth Charles The | 1 | 10.26x |
| St Anne Soho London | 1 | 16.47x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Rosewall 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 Rosewall 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 Rosewall households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 24 |
| Tin Miner | 6 |
| Retired Farmer | 3 |
| (Farmer) | 2 |
| Carpenter | 2 |
| Carrier | 2 |
| Coal Miner | 2 |
| Daur Of Master Mariner | 2 |
| Milliner | 2 |
| R Farmers Daughter | 2 |
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Beginner In Weft Room | 1 |
| Carriers Wife | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Clerk | 1 |
| Clerk Commercl | 1 |
| Copper Miner | 1 |
| Cotton Weaver | 1 |
| Cotton Winder | 1 |
| Dress-Maker | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Farmer Of 20 Acres | 1 |
| Farmer Of 22 Acres | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Housemaid Serv | 1 |
| Iron Moulder | 1 |
| Ironmonger | 1 |
| Laborer | 1 |
| Laborer (Gen) | 1 |
| Land Owner | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Lodging House Keeper | 1 |
| Mariner | 1 |
| Mariner Wife | 1 |
| Merchants Widow | 1 |
| Oiler Of Machinery | 1 |
| Plasterer | 1 |
| Plumber | 1 |
| Railway Clerk | 1 |
| Retired Master Mariner | 1 |
| Surgeon Not In Practice | 1 |
| Tailoress | 1 |
| Tin Miner Unemployed | 1 |
| Wife Of Master Mariner | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 109 people were recorded with the Rosewall surname. That placed it at #18,793 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 65 in 2016. That gives Rosewall a modern rank of #34,017.
A locational surname derived from a place name containing the elements "rose" and "wall".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rosewall 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.