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Rolleston Family History

Rolleston Surname Meaning

in the Midlands from Rolleston (Leics Notts Staffs) and perhaps Rowston (Lincs); in ER Yorks from Rolston (or Rowlston) in Mappleton (ER Yorks); and in SW England from Rollestone in Upton Pyne or Rolstone Barton in Morchard Bishop (both in Devon) or Rollestone (Wilts) and perhaps Rowlestone (Herefs) or Rolstone in Banwell (Somerset). The place-names have various etymological origins, though most are named with the Middle English personal name Rolf or the Old Scandinavian personal name Hrólfr + Middle English toun ‘town, settlement’ Old English tūn ‘farmstead, estate’.

It is possible that some of the following bearers belong with (2), particularly the Yorks examples. Variant of Rollinson reduced to Rolleson and altered by the addition of an intrusive -t- as though it were a locative name in -ston.

Compare Thomas Rolleson' 1377 in Poll Tax (Kingston upon Hull, ER Yorks) and Christopher Rollston 1723, Henry Rowlstone 1763 in IGI (Kingston upon Hull, ER Yorks).

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Rolleston family from?

You can see how Rolleston families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rolleston family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rolleston families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 48 Rolleston families living in Leicestershire. This was about 39% of all the recorded Rolleston's in United Kingdom. Leicestershire had the highest population of Rolleston families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rolleston surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Rolleston ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Heating Engineering Pipe Fitter (heavy Worker) and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Rolleston. 100% of Rolleston men worked as a Heating Engineering Pipe Fitter (heavy Worker) and 63% of Rolleston women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Rolleston | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Heating Engineering Pipe Fitter (heavy Worker)
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    63%
  • Private Means
    23%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    8%
  • Housewife
    8%

What Rolleston family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Rolleston. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rolleston census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rolleston

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Rolleston. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 687 military records available for the last name Rolleston. For the veterans among your Rolleston ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Rolleston lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Rolleston life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1986, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Rolleston in 1963 was 80, and 65 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rolleston

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rolleston ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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