UK surname
An occupational surname originally referring to someone who made or utilized a roll or roller.
In the 1881 census there were 17 people recorded with the Rull surname, ranking it #31,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 42, ranked #35,336, down from #31,170 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Minster, Callington and Illogan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rull is 179 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 147.1%.
1881 census count
17
Ranked #31,170
Modern count
42
2016, ranked #35,336
Peak year
1861
179 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Rull surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Rull surname density by area, 1891 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 | 67 | #21,440 |
| 1861 | historical | 179 | #13,127 |
| 1881 | historical | 17 | #31,170 |
| 1891 | historical | 162 | #17,390 |
| 1901 | historical | 43 | #29,380 |
| 1911 | historical | 15 | #31,938 |
| 1997 | modern | 26 | #35,135 |
| 1998 | modern | 29 | #34,948 |
| 1999 | modern | 28 | #35,127 |
| 2000 | modern | 30 | #34,885 |
| 2001 | modern | 28 | #34,936 |
| 2002 | modern | 28 | #35,139 |
| 2003 | modern | 30 | #35,046 |
| 2004 | modern | 28 | #35,354 |
| 2005 | modern | 29 | #35,431 |
| 2006 | modern | 32 | #35,392 |
| 2007 | modern | 33 | #35,461 |
| 2008 | modern | 32 | #35,610 |
| 2009 | modern | 34 | #35,608 |
| 2010 | modern | 35 | #35,676 |
| 2011 | modern | 36 | #35,613 |
| 2012 | modern | 38 | #35,481 |
| 2013 | modern | 40 | #35,439 |
| 2014 | modern | 43 | #35,293 |
| 2015 | modern | 43 | #35,269 |
| 2016 | modern | 42 | #35,336 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Minster, Callington, Illogan, Newchurch and St Pancras. 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 | Minster | Kent |
| 2 | Callington | Cornwall |
| 3 | Illogan | Cornwall |
| 4 | Newchurch | Hampshire |
| 5 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Rull 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 Rull, 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 Rull surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Rull 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, Rull 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 Rull is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Rull, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname RULL has its origins in the Catalonia region of Spain. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word 'rulla', which means a small wheel or roller. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to an occupation or trade related to wheelwrights or those who worked with wheels or rollers.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name RULL can be found in the 14th century, where it appeared in historical records from the town of Manresa, near Barcelona. During this period, the name was sometimes spelled as 'Rul' or 'Rulle'.
In the 16th century, the RULL surname began to spread beyond Catalonia to other parts of Spain, as well as to the Spanish colonies in the Americas. Notable figures from this time include Juan Rull, a landowner and cattle rancher in Mexico during the 1500s, and Fray Mateo Rull, a Franciscan friar who established missions in California in the late 1700s.
As the name spread across Europe, it also began to appear in other regions, such as France and Italy, where it was sometimes spelled as 'Rulle' or 'Rulli'. During the 18th century, a family of Italian architects with the surname Rulli gained prominence for their work in the Baroque and Rococo styles.
In the 19th century, the industrialization of Europe saw the rise of several individuals with the RULL surname in the manufacturing and engineering fields. One such figure was Auguste Rull, a French inventor and engineer who patented several innovations in textile machinery in the 1870s.
Another notable individual from this period was Blanca Rull, a Spanish painter and artist who was part of the Modernist movement in Barcelona in the late 1800s. Her works are still celebrated today for their vibrant colors and unique style.
As the 20th century dawned, the RULL surname continued to be found across various parts of the world. One prominent example was Emilio Rull, a Cuban politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the 1940s.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rull 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. Lanarkshire leads with 6 Rulls recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.60x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lanarkshire | 6 | 13.60x |
| Middlesex | 2 | 1.47x |
| Sussex | 2 | 8.70x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 3.58x |
| Huntingdonshire | 1 | 36.90x |
| Kent | 1 | 2.15x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 4.77x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 6 Rulls recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Govan | 6 | 55.00x |
| Brighton | 2 | 43.10x |
| Gasthorpe | 1 | 0.00x |
| Islington London | 1 | 7.56x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 19.92x |
| Portsea | 1 | 18.25x |
| Rochester St Nicholas | 1 | 714.29x |
| St Ives | 1 | 714.29x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Rull 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 Rull 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 Rull households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Builders Labourer | 1 |
| Carpenters Widow | 1 |
| Cashier (Clk) | 1 |
| Dress Maker | 1 |
| General Domestic Serv | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| Ironer | 1 |
| Scholar | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 17 people were recorded with the Rull surname. That placed it at #31,170 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 42 in 2016. That gives Rull a modern rank of #35,336.
An occupational surname originally referring to someone who made or utilized a roll or roller.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rull 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.