NameCensus.

UK surname

Roulston

A locative surname indicating someone from Roulston, a village and parish in Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 137 people recorded with the Roulston surname, ranking it #16,358 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 436, ranked #11,062, up from #16,358 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Cotgrave, Toxteth Park and Church Gresley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Glenwood South, Amber Valley and West Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roulston is 445 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 218.2%.

1881 census count

137

Ranked #16,358

Modern count

436

2016, ranked #11,062

Peak year

2010

445 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roulston had 137 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,358 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 436 in 2016, ranked #11,062.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 210 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Roulston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Roulston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Roulston 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 98 #17,383
1861 historical 107 #20,008
1881 historical 137 #16,358
1891 historical 152 #18,163
1901 historical 199 #15,173
1911 historical 210 #14,515
1997 modern 408 #10,844
1998 modern 432 #10,737
1999 modern 433 #10,807
2000 modern 418 #11,047
2001 modern 416 #10,898
2002 modern 423 #10,975
2003 modern 432 #10,635
2004 modern 435 #10,600
2005 modern 415 #10,878
2006 modern 426 #10,712
2007 modern 435 #10,613
2008 modern 417 #11,100
2009 modern 434 #11,014
2010 modern 445 #11,002
2011 modern 435 #11,066
2012 modern 431 #11,047
2013 modern 430 #11,259
2014 modern 444 #11,021
2015 modern 433 #11,162
2016 modern 436 #11,062

Geography

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Where Roulstons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Cotgrave, Toxteth Park, Church Gresley, Donington, Castle and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Glenwood South, Amber Valley, West Somerset, Waverley and Clydesdale South. 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 Cotgrave Nottinghamshire
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Church Gresley Staffordshire
4 Donington, Castle Derbyshire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Glenwood South Glasgow City
2 Amber Valley 009 Amber Valley
3 West Somerset 004 West Somerset
4 Waverley 013 Waverley
5 Clydesdale South South Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Roulston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Roulston

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Roulston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Roulston household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Roulston is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Roulston is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Roulston falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Roulston

The surname Roulston originated in Scotland, with roots tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "rol" and "tun," which collectively mean "a farmstead or village on a ridge or hill." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name likely resided in such a settlement.

During the medieval era, the name appeared in various forms, including Roulstoun, Rowlstoun, and Rolstoun. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, where it is spelled "Roulstoun."

In the late 13th century, a notable figure named Sir William Roulston is mentioned in the Ragman Rolls, a historical record of Scottish landowners and nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Sir William's precise birth and death dates are unknown, but his inclusion in this document highlights the name's presence among the Scottish gentry during that period.

Another early record of the name can be found in the Bute Muniments, a collection of historical documents related to the Isle of Bute in Scotland. In 1428, a charter granted land in Ayrshire to a certain John Roulston, though little else is known about his life.

Fast-forwarding to the 16th century, a prominent individual named Robert Roulston was born in Edinburgh in 1542. He served as a merchant and financier, playing a crucial role in the economic affairs of the city during his lifetime, which ended in 1612.

In the realm of literature, the name appears in the works of Sir Walter Scott, one of Scotland's most celebrated writers. In his novel "The Antiquary," published in 1816, a character named Roulston is mentioned, though it is unclear if this was a nod to an actual historical figure.

Moving into the 19th century, a notable figure named William Roulston was born in 1826 in County Down, Ireland. He became a prominent Presbyterian minister and played a significant role in the religious life of the region until his death in 1901.

While the name Roulston has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including England, Ireland, and beyond, carried by those who emigrated from the Scottish homeland. Throughout its history, the name has maintained a strong connection to its Scottish origins and the geographical features that inspired its meaning.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Roulston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roulston 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 35 Roulstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.62x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 35 23.62x
Nottinghamshire 28 15.55x
Warwickshire 17 5.04x
Lancashire 15 0.95x
Derbyshire 11 5.26x
Kent 5 1.10x
Middlesex 5 0.37x
Staffordshire 5 1.11x
Durham 3 0.75x
Herefordshire 3 5.48x
Surrey 3 0.46x
Worcestershire 3 1.72x
Norfolk 2 0.97x
Lanarkshire 1 0.23x
Yorkshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Breedon in Leicestershire leads with 18 Roulstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5454.55x.

Place Total Index
Breedon 18 5454.55x
Cotgrave 16 4210.53x
Birmingham 14 12.47x
Church Gresley 8 240.24x
Leicester St Mary 8 66.83x
Lenton 7 165.09x
Everton 6 11.87x
Liverpool 6 6.23x
Great Chart 5 1470.59x
Whitwick 5 265.96x
Burton Upon Trent 3 28.44x
Darlington 3 19.54x
Dudley 3 14.14x
Manchester 3 4.21x
Newton Regis 3 1428.57x
Nottingham St Mary 3 6.44x
Chelsea London 2 4.97x
Hathern 2 333.33x
Lakenham 2 68.49x
Much Birch 2 833.33x
Rotherhithe 2 12.11x
Snenton 2 28.25x
Armitage 1 169.49x
Aston 1 333.33x
Bardon 1 3333.33x
Barony 1 0.91x
Battersea 1 2.03x
Codsall 1 156.25x
Etwall 1 416.67x
Felton 1 2000.00x
Goole 1 45.05x
Leicester St Margaret 1 2.77x
Melbourne 1 69.93x
Paddington London 1 2.04x
St George Hanover 1 5.73x
Westminster St 1 20.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Sarah 5
Elizabeth 4
Ann 3
Emma 3
Margaret 3
Alice 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Ellen 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Isabella 2
Jessie 2
Maria 2
Rose 2
Ado 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Capella 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Elizth. 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Jane 1
Kezia 1
Lilly 1
Lydia 1
Marther 1
Matilda 1
Rosetta 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Roulston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roulston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 137 people were recorded with the Roulston surname. That placed it at #16,358 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roulston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 436 in 2016. That gives Roulston a modern rank of #11,062.

What does the Roulston surname mean?

A locative surname indicating someone from Roulston, a village and parish in Yorkshire, England.

What does the Roulston map show?

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