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

Roye, 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 Roye surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Roye in America

Roye is the 17481st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Roye surname appeared 1,612 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 Roye.

We can also compare 2010 data for Roye 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 Roye

The surname ROYE originated in France and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "roi," meaning "king," suggesting that the original bearers of this name may have had some connection to royalty or held a position of authority.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ROYE appears in the Domesday Book, a monumental survey of England completed in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror. Several entries mention individuals with the surname ROYE, indicating their presence in England during the Norman conquest.

The name ROYE was also closely associated with the town of Roye in the Picardy region of northern France. Many bearers of this surname likely originated from or had ties to this area. The town's name itself is derived from the Latin word "rega," meaning "canal" or "waterway," reflecting its location along a significant waterway.

One notable individual bearing the surname ROYE was John Roye, a 16th-century Protestant reformer and author born around 1495. He played a significant role in the early stages of the English Reformation and published several influential works, including a translation of the Bible into English.

Another historical figure with the surname ROYE was Jacques de Roye, a French nobleman and military commander who lived in the 14th century. He served as the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, a renowned military order, and played a crucial role in the defense of the island of Rhodes against Ottoman forces in the early 1500s.

In the realm of literature, Robert Roye, an English poet who lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, is remembered for his satirical works critiquing the Catholic Church and the clergy of his time.

The ROYE surname also has connections to the Netherlands, where variants such as "de Roye" and "van Roye" were used. One notable figure in Dutch history was Jan de Roye, a prominent architect and engineer who lived in the 17th century and was responsible for designing and constructing several significant buildings and fortifications.

Throughout its history, the surname ROYE has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, military leaders, religious figures, and artists, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Roye

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

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

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

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