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

Rolls, 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 Rolls surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rolls in America

Rolls is the 23019th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rolls surname appeared 1,110 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Rolls.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rolls 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 Rolls

The surname Rolls is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period in England. It is believed to be a toponymic name, derived from the Old English word "roll," meaning a roll or bundle of cloth or parchment.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Rolle" in the county of Derbyshire. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name or a descriptive reference to someone who worked with rolls of cloth or parchment.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname Rolls began to emerge in various parts of England, including Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Yorkshire. It is likely that the name spread as people migrated from one region to another, carrying their surnames with them.

One notable individual with the surname Rolls was Richard Rolls, a 14th-century English landowner and Justice of the Peace from Monmouth. He was born around 1320 and served as a member of the Parliament of England in 1376.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in the form "Rolles" in the records of the Chancery Court of Somerset. This variation in spelling was common during that era, as standardized spellings were not yet established.

Another prominent figure with the Rolls surname was John Rolls, a wealthy merchant and benefactor from Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. Born in the late 15th century, he was a contemporary of William Shakespeare and is believed to have been acquainted with the renowned playwright.

During the 16th century, the name Rolls was found in various records across England, including parish registers and tax rolls. One example is William Rolls, a landowner from Oxfordshire who was born in 1558 and died in 1624.

In the 17th century, the name Rolls gained prominence with the birth of Samuel Rolls in 1588 in Cheshire. He was a notable figure in the Civil War and served as a colonel in the Parliamentarian army under Oliver Cromwell.

The 18th century saw the rise of Charles Rolls, an English businessman and co-founder of the renowned Rolls-Royce automobile company. Born in 1877 in Berkshire, he was a pioneer in the early days of aviation and tragically lost his life in a plane crash in 1910.

Throughout its history, the surname Rolls has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, merchants, soldiers, and industrialists, reflecting the diverse origins and paths of those who carried this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rolls

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

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

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

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