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

Roney, 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 Roney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Roney in America

Roney is the 5761st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Roney surname appeared 6,015 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 Roney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Roney 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 Roney

The surname Roney is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "rongneux," meaning "mangy" or "scabby." The name likely emerged in the medieval period, referring to someone with a skin condition or possibly as a nickname for someone with an unpleasant appearance or character.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where a John Roney is listed. The name also appears in various parish records and court rolls throughout the 15th and 16th centuries in counties like Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, and Lincolnshire.

During the 16th century, the name Roney was particularly prevalent in the village of Worksop, Nottinghamshire. Records from the time show several variations of the spelling, including Ronie, Ronye, and Ronay. One notable bearer was Robert Roney, a prominent landowner in Worksop who lived in the late 1500s.

In the 17th century, the name spread to other parts of England, with records showing Roneys in places like Derbyshire and Staffordshire. One notable individual from this era was William Roney, a Puritan minister born in Derbyshire in 1625, who later emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1640s.

The 18th century saw the Roney name continue to grow in England, with pockets of the surname found in various counties. A notable figure was Sir John Roney, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire, born in 1712. He was knighted by King George III in 1762 for his services to the Crown.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, many Roneys migrated to urban centers like London, Manchester, and Birmingham in search of work. One notable individual from this era was James Roney, a successful industrialist from Birmingham, born in 1832, who made his fortune in the iron and steel industry.

Throughout its history, the Roney surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Roney Green in Staffordshire and Roney's Field in Nottinghamshire, further reinforcing its long-standing roots in the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Roney

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

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

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

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