NameCensus.

UK surname

Roylance

A surname derived from a placename meaning "the king's land".

In the 1881 census there were 418 people recorded with the Roylance surname, ranking it #7,718 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 550, ranked #9,280, down from #7,718 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Stockport and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Northumberland and Warrington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roylance is 678 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.6%.

1881 census count

418

Ranked #7,718

Modern count

550

2016, ranked #9,280

Peak year

1911

678 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roylance had 418 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,718 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 550 in 2016, ranked #9,280.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 678 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Roylance surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Roylance surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Roylance 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 297 #7,707
1861 historical 239 #10,273
1881 historical 418 #7,718
1891 historical 436 #8,262
1901 historical 565 #7,393
1911 historical 678 #6,231
1997 modern 604 #8,102
1998 modern 613 #8,263
1999 modern 595 #8,487
2000 modern 587 #8,532
2001 modern 574 #8,539
2002 modern 605 #8,415
2003 modern 604 #8,283
2004 modern 587 #8,478
2005 modern 565 #8,633
2006 modern 568 #8,626
2007 modern 562 #8,750
2008 modern 559 #8,844
2009 modern 572 #8,901
2010 modern 579 #9,013
2011 modern 577 #8,942
2012 modern 550 #9,167
2013 modern 562 #9,162
2014 modern 562 #9,226
2015 modern 557 #9,206
2016 modern 550 #9,280

Geography

Back to top

Where Roylances are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Stockport, London parishes, Manchester and Warrington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Northumberland, Warrington, Blackpool and Stockport. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Warrington Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 005 Shropshire
2 Northumberland 029 Northumberland
3 Warrington 022 Warrington
4 Blackpool 001 Blackpool
5 Stockport 024 Stockport

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Roylance

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Roylance

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Roylance surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Roylance household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Roylance is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Roylance 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

Roylance 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 Roylance is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Roylance

The surname Roylance originated in England, specifically in the counties of Warwickshire and Gloucestershire, during the late medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "ruh" meaning "rough" and "leah" meaning "meadow" or "clearing," suggesting a connection to a rough or uneven meadow or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Roylance can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire from 1332, where it appears as "Rowelaunce." This variation in spelling was common during that time, as surnames were often phonetically transcribed.

In the late 15th century, a John Roylance was mentioned in the Court Rolls of Stratford-upon-Avon, dated 1487. This record provides evidence of the surname's presence in the region during the Tudor period.

The Domesday Book, the great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Roylance. However, it does mention place names such as "Ruchelai" and "Rugelie," which may have contributed to the formation of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Roylance throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas Roylance (c. 1530-1597), an English politician and landowner from Warwickshire, who served as a Member of Parliament.

2. Robert Roylance (1640-1718), an English clergyman and author, known for his work "A Defence of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England" published in 1693.

3. William Roylance (1782-1854), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a shipbuilder in Liverpool.

4. Mary Roylance (1846-1925), an English novelist and writer, best known for her work "The Genius of Solitude" published in 1892.

5. Sir John Roylance (1877-1953), a British civil engineer and industrialist, who played a significant role in the development of the steel industry in the early 20th century.

While the surname Roylance has its roots in the English counties of Warwickshire and Gloucestershire, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through British emigration and colonization.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Roylance families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roylance 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. Lancashire leads with 212 Roylances recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.38x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 212 4.38x
Cheshire 122 13.55x
Middlesex 30 0.74x
Staffordshire 11 0.80x
Essex 10 1.24x
Yorkshire 9 0.22x
Shropshire 8 2.27x
Sussex 6 0.87x
Gloucestershire 4 0.50x
Kent 4 0.29x
Denbighshire 1 0.65x
Warwickshire 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. Ashton Under Lyne in Lancashire leads with 31 Roylances recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.32x.

Place Total Index
Ashton Under Lyne 31 29.32x
Warrington 28 48.81x
Macclesfield 21 52.49x
Manchester 21 9.65x
Hulme 18 17.82x
Heaton Norris 17 61.73x
Islington London 15 3.80x
Stockport 15 32.38x
Atherton 12 68.14x
Blackburn 10 7.77x
Congleton 10 64.31x
Monks Coppenhall 10 29.45x
Great Bolton 9 14.04x
Leeds 9 3.94x
Runcorn 9 43.37x
Audley 8 58.74x
Broughton In Salford 8 18.08x
Church Coppenhall 8 199.01x
Colchester St Giles 8 100.63x
Drayton In Hales 8 110.19x
Habergham Eaves 7 15.83x
Liverpool 6 2.04x
North Meols 6 12.67x
Stretford 6 22.54x
Windle 6 22.04x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 6.51x
Gorton 5 10.99x
Hyde 5 18.83x
Kensington London 5 2.21x
Spotland 5 9.30x
Withyam 5 170.07x
Cheltenham 4 6.48x
Erith 4 29.18x
Handforth 4 388.35x
Mobberley 4 195.12x
Old Withington 4 493.83x
St Pancras London 4 1.22x
Goostrey Cum Barnshaw 3 588.24x
St Marylebone London 3 1.38x
Sutton In Macclesfield 3 32.12x
Thornton Le Moors 3 857.14x
Weaverham Cum Milton 3 126.05x
Altrincham 2 12.71x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.13x
Birkdale 2 16.34x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 5.21x
Carrington 2 327.87x
Chorley In Macclesfield 2 72.99x
Everton 2 1.30x
Great Warford 2 408.16x
Helsby 2 176.99x
Newcastle Under Lyme 2 8.21x
Turton 2 25.25x
Twemlow 2 869.57x
Wigan 2 2.96x
Bollin Fee 1 25.06x
Charlecote 1 277.78x
Cheadle 1 5.82x
Chester St Michael 1 94.34x
Colwich 1 30.58x
Debden 1 87.72x
Dukinfield 1 2.40x
Gresford 1 68.49x
Ifield 1 34.84x
Lymm 1 15.29x
Northenden 1 60.98x
Paddington London 1 0.67x
Salford 1 0.70x
Siddington 1 175.44x
Stisted 1 96.15x
Stockport Etchells 1 52.08x
Toxteth Park 1 0.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 32
Sarah 24
Elizabeth 15
Hannah 11
Ann 10
Emma 10
Jane 7
Alice 6
Margaret 6
Martha 6
Eliza 5
Agnes 4
Catherine 4
Ellen 4
Emily 4
Anne 3
Annie 3
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Charlotte 2
Easter 2
Edna 2
Esther 2
Lydia 2
Rose 2
Susanh. 2
Susannah 2
Albertina 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Cecily 1
Clara 1
Elenor 1
Elizth. 1
Ellan 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Jermima 1
Jessie 1
Kathleen 1
Kizia 1
Lavinia 1
Louisa 1
Lousia 1
Mabel 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Zilla 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 34
John 30
Thomas 16
George 15
James 14
Joseph 11
Charles 9
Samuel 9
Edward 7
Alfred 6
Arthur 5
Harry 5
Albert 4
Henry 4
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Isaac 2
Nathaniel 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Abraham 1
Allen 1
Clement 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk 1
Fredk.John 1
Geo. 1
Jno.Wm.A. 1
Jonn. 1
Josiah 1
Randolph 1
Reuben 1
Saul 1
Thos.B. 1
Walter 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Roylance surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roylance surname in 1881?

In 1881, 418 people were recorded with the Roylance surname. That placed it at #7,718 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roylance surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 550 in 2016. That gives Roylance a modern rank of #9,280.

What does the Roylance surname mean?

A surname derived from a placename meaning "the king's land".

What does the Roylance map show?

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