Find out how popular the last name Rolfe is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Rolfe.

Rolfe, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Rolfe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rolfe in America

Rolfe is the 7339th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rolfe surname appeared 4,542 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Rolfe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rolfe to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Rolfe

The surname Rolfe originates from England and dates back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words 'rolf' or 'rolfe', meaning 'wolf'. The name likely referred to someone who had wolf-like characteristics or displayed bravery and fierceness in battle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror. The book mentions a landowner named Rolfe in the county of Suffolk.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records from different regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. Some of the earliest recorded spellings include Rolf, Rolff, and Rolfe.

The surname Rolfe has been associated with notable individuals throughout history. One of the most famous bearers of the name was John Rolfe (1585-1622), an English settler in Virginia. He is best known for being the first to cultivate tobacco as a cash crop and for his marriage to Pocahontas, the daughter of the Native American chief Powhatan.

Another prominent figure with the surname Rolfe was Robert Monsey Rolfe (1786-1853), an English politician and member of parliament. He served as the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk and was a prominent landowner in the county.

Baron Noel Rolfe (1888-1977) was a British soldier and politician who served as the Governor of Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) from 1942 to 1944. He played a significant role in the colonial administration of the region.

In the literary world, Frederick William Rolfe (1860-1913), also known by his pseudonym Baron Corvo, was an English novelist and writer. He is best known for his autobiographical novel "Hadrian the Seventh".

John Rolfe (1942-2005) was a British actor and playwright, known for his roles in various television series and stage productions. He was a prominent figure in the British entertainment industry.

The surname Rolfe has a rich history and has been carried by notable individuals across various fields, including politics, literature, and colonial administration. It remains a well-established surname in England and other parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rolfe

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Rolfe.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Rolfe was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Rolfe has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Rolfe was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Rolfe, please contact us.

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