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

Roy, 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 Roy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Roy in America

Roy is the 640th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Roy surname appeared 53,159 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 18 people would have the surname Roy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Roy 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 Roy

The surname ROY has its origins in the ancient French province of Normandy. It is derived from the Old French words "roi" and "roy", meaning "king". The name first emerged in the 11th century, during the Norman conquest of England.

In 1066, William the Conqueror led his Norman forces to victory at the Battle of Hastings, establishing Norman rule over England. Many of William's loyal followers and knights were granted lands and titles, and some adopted the surname ROY to signify their allegiance to the new ruling class.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ROY can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book mentions several individuals with the surname ROY, including William Roy of Oxfordshire and Hugh Roy of Gloucestershire.

As the Norman influence spread across Europe, the name ROY began to appear in various regions. In Scotland, the name was often associated with the Clan Roy, a powerful Highland clan that traces its roots back to the 13th century. Notable members of the Clan Roy include Alasdair Roy, a prominent warrior who fought in the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

In France, the name ROY was particularly prevalent in the regions of Normandy and Brittany. One of the most famous French Roys was René Roy, a 17th-century playwright and poet who was born in Normandy in 1616 and died in Paris in 1692.

In England, the surname ROY has a long and distinguished history. Sir Robert Roy, a prominent English politician and diplomat, served as Lord Privy Seal under King Henry VIII in the early 16th century. Another notable English Roy was Sir Thomas Roy, a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London during the 17th century.

In the United States, the name ROY has been present since the early colonial era. One of the earliest recorded Roys in America was John Roy, who arrived in Virginia from England in 1635. Another notable American Roy was James Roy, a Revolutionary War soldier who fought alongside General George Washington and later became a member of the Society of the Cincinnati.

Throughout history, the surname ROY has been borne by numerous influential figures across various fields, including politics, literature, art, and military service. While the name originated in Normandy, it has since become a part of the cultural fabric of many nations, a testament to the enduring legacy of the Norman conquest and the lasting impact of the ROY lineage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Roy

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

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

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

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