Rookstool last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Rookstool

A surname derived from a Dutch or German word referring to a rook or a crow's nest or perch.

Rookstool, 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 Rookstool surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rookstool in America

Rookstool is the 40745th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rookstool surname appeared 536 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 Rookstool.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rookstool 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.

20102000Change (%)
Rank40745383206.13%
Count536543-1.30%
Proportion per 100k0.180.20-10.53%

The history of the last name Rookstool

The surname Rookstool is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "roc" meaning "rook" (a type of crow) and "stol" meaning "stool" or "seat." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a particular place where rooks congregated or nested, possibly a stool-like structure or perch.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rookstool can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire from the late 12th century, where a person named Rogerstol de Rukestol is mentioned. This spelling variation suggests that the name may have evolved from a combination of a personal name, Roger, and a place name, Rukestol, which could be an early form of Rookstool.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various forms in the Hundred Rolls, a census-like record of landowners in England. Entries such as Raulinus de Roukestole (Lincolnshire) and Johannes de Rokestole (Oxfordshire) provide evidence of the name's widespread use and varying spellings during this time period.

One notable historical figure bearing the Rookstool surname was Sir John Rookstool (c. 1450-1523), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire. He served as the Sheriff of Lincolnshire in 1502 and was known for his involvement in local politics and governance.

Another individual of note was William Rookstool (c. 1580-1647), a Protestant clergyman and author from Yorkshire. He authored several theological works, including "A Treatise on the Sacraments" and "A Discourse on the Lord's Supper."

In the 17th century, the Rookstool family established themselves in the county of Derbyshire. Thomas Rookstool (1625-1698) was a prominent landowner and farmer in the village of Sheldon, where he and his descendants resided for several generations.

During the 18th century, the name appears in various parish records and legal documents across England. One such record mentions a Mary Rookstool (1732-1807), who was a notable philanthropist and benefactor in the city of Bristol.

Another individual of interest was Captain James Rookstool (1756-1825), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. He was commended for his bravery and leadership during several key battles against the French fleet.

While the surname Rookstool is not among the most common in England today, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and can be traced back to its medieval origins in various parts of the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rookstool

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

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 Rookstool was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only93.84%503
Non-Hispanic Black Only0.00%0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only0.00%0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native1.49%8
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races1.49%8
Hispanic Origin3.17%17

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 Rookstool has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

20102000Change (%)
White93.84%96.32%-2.61%
Black0.00%0.00%0.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander0.00%(S)%(S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native1.49%(S)%(S)%
Two or More Races1.49%(S)%(S)%
Hispanic3.17%2.39%28.06%

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

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

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