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

Rolland, 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 Rolland surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rolland in America

Rolland is the 10103rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rolland surname appeared 3,188 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Rolland.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rolland 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 Rolland

The surname Rolland is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "rolant," meaning "famous land" or "celebrated land." It is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century in the northern regions of France, particularly in Normandy and Brittany.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rolland can be found in the Domesday Book, a great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Rollandus" and "Rolland," referring to individuals living in various parts of the country.

During the Middle Ages, the name Rolland was often associated with landowners or individuals who possessed significant estates or properties. This connection to land ownership likely contributed to the name's prestige and its adoption by noble families.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name Rolland was Jean Rolland (c. 1320-1392), a French jurist and chancellor of the University of Paris. He played a crucial role in the development of French jurisprudence during the latter part of the Hundred Years' War.

Another prominent individual with the surname Rolland was Étienne Rolland (1545-1603), a French lawyer and politician who served as the Lieutenant Civil of Paris from 1597 to 1603. He was known for his role in the Catholic League during the French Wars of Religion.

In the 18th century, Philippe Rolland (1746-1803) was a French painter and engraver who gained recognition for his portraits and historical paintings. He was a member of the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture and received commissions from the French royal court.

During the 19th century, Romain Rolland (1866-1944) was a renowned French novelist, dramatist, and art historian. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1915 for his novel "Jean-Christophe," which explored the life of a fictional German composer. Rolland was also a pacifist and a supporter of the Indian independence movement, maintaining a close friendship with Mahatma Gandhi.

In more recent times, the name Rolland has been associated with various figures from different fields, including actors, writers, and athletes. However, as per the instructions, this report focuses primarily on the historical origins and notable individuals with the surname Rolland from earlier periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rolland

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

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 Rolland 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 Rolland 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 Rolland was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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