NameCensus.

UK surname

Roy

A French and Scottish surname derived from the Old French "roi," meaning "king," likely referring to a kingly person.

In the 1881 census there were 675 people recorded with the Roy surname, ranking it #5,339 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,988, ranked #1,127, up from #5,339 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Paisley Ferguslie, Harthill and Salsburgh and Upper Nithsdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roy is 5,999 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 787.1%.

1881 census count

675

Ranked #5,339

Modern count

5,988

2016, ranked #1,127

Peak year

2015

5,999 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roy had 675 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,339 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,988 in 2016, ranked #1,127.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,238 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Roy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Roy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Roy 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 2,098 #1,386
1861 historical 3 #33,861
1881 historical 675 #5,339
1891 historical 2,100 #2,214
1901 historical 3,238 #1,724
1997 modern 4,588 #1,426
1998 modern 4,730 #1,441
1999 modern 4,835 #1,413
2000 modern 4,873 #1,400
2001 modern 4,708 #1,413
2002 modern 4,897 #1,388
2003 modern 4,842 #1,367
2004 modern 4,925 #1,339
2005 modern 5,000 #1,307
2006 modern 5,132 #1,270
2007 modern 5,235 #1,253
2008 modern 5,377 #1,224
2009 modern 5,596 #1,208
2010 modern 5,770 #1,195
2011 modern 5,643 #1,206
2012 modern 5,694 #1,168
2013 modern 5,890 #1,151
2014 modern 5,974 #1,144
2015 modern 5,999 #1,128
2016 modern 5,988 #1,127

Geography

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Where Roys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Crieff and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Paisley Ferguslie, Harthill and Salsburgh, Upper Nithsdale, Possil Park and Govan and Linthouse. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Crieff Perth
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Paisley Ferguslie Renfrewshire
2 Harthill and Salsburgh North Lanarkshire
3 Upper Nithsdale Dumfries and Galloway
4 Possil Park Glasgow City
5 Govan and Linthouse Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Roy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Roy

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Roy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Roy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Roy 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

Roy 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

Roy 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 Roy 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Roy

The surname ROY has its origins in the ancient French province of Normandy. It is derived from the Old French words "roi" and "roy", meaning "king". The name first emerged in the 11th century, during the Norman conquest of England.

In 1066, William the Conqueror led his Norman forces to victory at the Battle of Hastings, establishing Norman rule over England. Many of William's loyal followers and knights were granted lands and titles, and some adopted the surname ROY to signify their allegiance to the new ruling class.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ROY can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book mentions several individuals with the surname ROY, including William Roy of Oxfordshire and Hugh Roy of Gloucestershire.

As the Norman influence spread across Europe, the name ROY began to appear in various regions. In Scotland, the name was often associated with the Clan Roy, a powerful Highland clan that traces its roots back to the 13th century. Notable members of the Clan Roy include Alasdair Roy, a prominent warrior who fought in the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

In France, the name ROY was particularly prevalent in the regions of Normandy and Brittany. One of the most famous French Roys was René Roy, a 17th-century playwright and poet who was born in Normandy in 1616 and died in Paris in 1692.

In England, the surname ROY has a long and distinguished history. Sir Robert Roy, a prominent English politician and diplomat, served as Lord Privy Seal under King Henry VIII in the early 16th century. Another notable English Roy was Sir Thomas Roy, a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London during the 17th century.

In the United States, the name ROY has been present since the early colonial era. One of the earliest recorded Roys in America was John Roy, who arrived in Virginia from England in 1635. Another notable American Roy was James Roy, a Revolutionary War soldier who fought alongside General George Washington and later became a member of the Society of the Cincinnati.

Throughout history, the surname ROY has been borne by numerous influential figures across various fields, including politics, literature, art, and military service. While the name originated in Normandy, it has since become a part of the cultural fabric of many nations, a testament to the enduring legacy of the Norman conquest and the lasting impact of the ROY lineage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Roy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roy 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. Lanarkshire leads with 507 Roys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.90x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 507 5.90x
Perthshire 291 24.42x
Ayrshire 189 9.51x
Angus 152 6.18x
Morayshire 134 32.48x
Aberdeenshire 129 5.25x
Middlesex 127 0.48x
Midlothian 123 3.46x
Norfolk 109 2.67x
Renfrewshire 98 4.76x
Stirlingshire 98 10.01x
Northumberland 73 1.85x
Lancashire 65 0.21x
Banffshire 62 11.26x
Fife 56 3.56x
Yorkshire 33 0.13x
Surrey 32 0.25x
Clackmannanshire 28 12.77x
West Lothian 27 6.75x
Durham 25 0.32x
Somerset 25 0.58x
Inverness-shire 21 2.65x
Kinross-shire 21 31.29x
Devon 20 0.36x
Nairnshire 19 23.44x
Essex 18 0.34x
Kent 18 0.20x
Dunbartonshire 17 2.38x
Cheshire 16 0.27x
Kirkcudbrightshire 14 3.64x
Selkirkshire 14 5.83x
Wigtownshire 14 3.97x
Cumberland 13 0.57x
Channel Islands 12 1.53x
Suffolk 11 0.34x
Sussex 10 0.22x
Buteshire 9 5.59x
Hampshire 8 0.15x
Roxburghshire 8 1.66x
Warwickshire 8 0.12x
Ross-shire 7 0.96x
Lincolnshire 6 0.14x
Dumfriesshire 5 0.85x
Staffordshire 5 0.06x
Berkshire 4 0.20x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.24x
Derbyshire 4 0.10x
Herefordshire 4 0.37x
Kincardineshire 4 1.24x
East Lothian 3 0.85x
Worcestershire 3 0.09x
Argyllshire 2 0.27x
Caithness 2 0.55x
Gloucestershire 2 0.04x
Anglesey 1 0.21x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.06x
Denbighshire 1 0.10x
Dorset 1 0.06x
Glamorgan 1 0.02x
Hertfordshire 1 0.05x
Orkney 1 0.34x
Oxfordshire 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 0.32x
Rutland 1 0.51x
Shropshire 1 0.04x
Westmorland 1 0.17x
Wiltshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 155 Roys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.13x.

Place Total Index
Barony 155 7.13x
Govan 103 4.85x
Dundee 79 8.60x
Glasgow 65 4.26x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 64 4.47x
Crieff 54 121.84x
Aberdeen Old Machar 44 8.57x
Dalry 38 40.64x
Rothes 33 164.02x
Liff Benvie 26 6.96x
Burnham Westgate 25 283.77x
Speymouth 25 418.76x
Alva 24 51.38x
Elswick 23 7.29x
Shettleston 23 29.92x
Auchtergaven 21 105.11x
Campsie 21 39.08x
Eastwood 21 16.57x
Inverness 21 10.53x
Orwell 21 113.45x
Perth East Church 21 18.69x
Bothwell 20 8.59x
Dunfermline 20 8.27x
Abbey 19 6.05x
Abernethy 19 122.03x
St Pancras London 19 0.89x
West Greenock 19 5.14x
Camberwell 18 1.06x
Kilmarnock 18 7.61x
Shotts 18 17.52x
Slamannan 18 33.56x
Tillicoultry 18 36.90x
Cambuslang 17 19.64x
New Monkland 17 6.70x
Old Monkland 17 4.99x
Westgate 17 6.95x
Plymouth St Andrew 16 3.76x
Comrie 15 88.03x
Dalmellington 15 25.67x
Nairn 15 30.50x
Scarning 15 247.93x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 14 3.04x
Cambusnethan 14 7.34x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 14 4.09x
Paisley Middle Church 14 11.69x
St Marylebone London 14 0.99x
Stevenston 14 27.03x
Straiton 14 123.89x
Banff 13 27.17x
Falkirk 13 5.67x
Perth St Pauls 13 47.12x
St George Hanover 13 3.75x
Bathgate 12 13.82x
Gamrie 12 19.52x
Mortlach 12 44.63x
Scone 12 56.68x
Auchterless 11 56.35x
Birkenhead 11 2.35x
Cheetham 11 4.68x
Dallas 11 131.11x
East Dereham 11 21.33x
Ipswich St Margaret 11 10.02x
Islington London 11 0.43x
Kilmaurs 11 32.53x
Muthill 11 70.74x
Stanhoe 11 274.31x
Strathmiglo 11 58.54x
Alloa 10 9.40x
Ayr 10 10.66x
Brightside Bierlow 10 1.94x
Duffus 10 27.50x
Edinburgh St Stephens 10 14.28x
Forteviot 10 175.44x
Keith 10 17.03x
Row 10 10.83x
Selkirk 10 14.78x
Stanfield 10 617.28x
Toxteth Park 10 0.94x
Linlithgow 9 17.55x
Rothesay 9 11.55x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Roy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 675 people were recorded with the Roy surname. That placed it at #5,339 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,988 in 2016. That gives Roy a modern rank of #1,127.

What does the Roy surname mean?

A French and Scottish surname derived from the Old French "roi," meaning "king," likely referring to a kingly person.

What does the Roy map show?

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