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

Royall, 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 Royall surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Royall in America

Royall is the 17682nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Royall surname appeared 1,587 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Royall.

We can also compare 2010 data for Royall 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 Royall

The surname Royall originated in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "roial" or "royal," meaning "regal" or "of royal descent." The name likely emerged as a nickname or descriptive surname for someone who had a noble or distinguished bearing or appearance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Royall appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1191, where a Roger Royall is mentioned. The name also appears in various medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where a John Ryal is listed.

In the 14th century, the surname Royall was found in various parts of England, including Kent, Essex, and Oxfordshire. Variations in spelling were common during this time, with the name appearing as Royall, Roiall, Ryall, and Riall.

Notable individuals with the surname Royall include John Royall (c. 1598-1671), an English merchant and colonist who settled in Virginia and established a plantation in what is now Henrico County. Another prominent figure was Isaac Royall Jr. (1719-1781), a wealthy merchant and slave trader from Massachusetts who loyally supported the British during the American Revolution.

Other historical figures bearing the Royall surname include William Royall (1594-1675), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War, and John Royall (1768-1820), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and rose to the rank of Vice Admiral.

The Royall name is also associated with several place names in England, such as Royall Hill in Kent and Royall Court in Essex, likely derived from or named after individuals with the surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Royall

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

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

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

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