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

Royle, 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 Royle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Royle in America

Royle is the 24288th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Royle surname appeared 1,033 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 Royle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Royle 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 Royle

The surname Royle is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "roil" or "roille," meaning a small stream or rivulet. It is believed to have emerged as a toponymic surname, referring to someone who lived near a small watercourse or dwelling by a stream.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Royle can be traced back to the 13th century in various counties across England, including Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Cheshire. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert del Roile, mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, the name appears as "de Roylle" and "de Royle," suggesting variations in spelling during that era. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of 1332 for Lancashire record a Richard del Royle, indicating the surname's presence in that region.

The Royle surname has been associated with several notable historical figures over the centuries. One prominent individual was Sir Samuel Royle (1630-1701), an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1685 and 1692. Another notable bearer was William Royle (1766-1846), a British botanist and curator of the herbarium at the University of Manchester.

In the literary world, Joseph Royle (1735-1805) was an English writer and poet, best known for his work "The Royalian Revels" published in 1788. Meanwhile, Edward Vernon Royle (1858-1942) was a British author and journalist who wrote several novels and non-fiction works, including "The Sportsman's Year Book" and "The Flower of Glory."

The Royle surname has also been linked to place names in England, such as Royle, a township in the parish of Longridge, Lancashire. This connection further reinforces the toponymic origins of the surname, derived from a location near a small stream or rivulet.

While the Royle surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and diaspora. However, its earliest recorded instances and historical significance can be traced back to its English origins, where it emerged as a descriptive surname reflecting the proximity of one's dwelling to a small watercourse.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Royle

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

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

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

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