Rollins
An English surname derived from a place name meaning "Hroda's link," referring to a ridge or hill.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 40,822 Americans carry the last name Rollins. That puts it at #992 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 11.91 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 8,396 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rollins surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
41K
1 in 8,396
Census rank
#992
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
11.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
35K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 35,132 bearers of the surname Rollins in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 11.91 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 992nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rollins, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.3%. The next largest groups are Black (25.9%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rollins
The surname Rollins has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "rollin," meaning "little roller," which referred to someone who worked with a type of cylindrical object or tool. The name likely originated as an occupational surname for a person whose job involved rolling or handling rolls of cloth, parchment, or other materials.
The earliest recorded instance of the Rollins surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which listed a Richard Rollins in Oxfordshire. In the 14th century, the name appeared as "Rollyns" in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1327. The variants "Rollings" and "Rollyngs" were also used in medieval times.
The Rollins surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was William Rollins, a member of the Virginia Company who sailed to the Virginia Colony in 1607 and became one of the first English settlers in the New World. John Rollins (1732-1795) was a prominent merchant and landowner in New Hampshire, who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress during the American Revolution.
In the 19th century, Edward H. Rollins (1824-1889) was a prominent American politician and businessman who served as a member of Congress and as the Commissioner of Internal Revenue under President Ulysses S. Grant. James Sidney Rollins (1812-1888) was a politician and educator from Missouri who played a key role in the founding of the University of Missouri.
Another notable bearer of the Rollins surname was Walter H. Rollins (1867-1945), a successful businessman and philanthropist from New Hampshire who founded the Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, in 1885. The college was named in honor of his father, Alonzo W. Rollins, and the Rollins family's contributions to the institution have been significant throughout its history.
The Rollins surname has also been connected to various place names, such as Rollins Brook in New Hampshire and Rollins Township in Michigan. These locations were likely named after early settlers or landowners with the Rollins surname, reflecting the influence and presence of this family name in different parts of the United States and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rollins
Among Census respondents with the surname Rollins, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.3%. The next largest groups are Black (25.9%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Rollins bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Rollins surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White68.3%
- Black or African American25.9%
- Hispanic or Latino2.5%
- Two or more races2.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Rollins surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #949 | #992 | -4.5% |
| Count | 33,797 | 35,132 | 4.0% |
| Per 100K | 12.53 | 11.91 | -4.9% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Rollins bearers went from 33,797 to 35,132 (+4.0% change). The surname moved down 43 positions in the national ranking, going from #949 to #992.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Rollins
FAQ
Rollins surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Rollins?
The surname Rollins holds position #992 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 40,822 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 11.91 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Rollins surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rollins, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.3%. The next largest groups are Black (25.9%) and Hispanic (2.5%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.