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Royal Family History

Royal Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Royle in Burnley (Lancashire) so named from Old English rā ‘roe deer’ + hyll ‘hill’. The surname may have been confused with Rial.

Americanized form of German Reul or Reule. Possibly also an Americanized form of Spanish and Portuguese Real.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Royal family from?

You can see how Royal families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Royal family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Royal families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 136 Royal families living in London. This was about 18% of all the recorded Royal's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Royal families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Royal 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 Royal ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Royal. 18% of Royal men worked as a General Labourer and 82% of Royal women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Royal were Dental Surgeon and Domestic Help.

View Census Data for Royal | 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

  • General Labourer
    18%
  • Colliery Hewer
    9%
  • Bricklayer
    7%
  • Dental Surgeon
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Private Means
    2%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%
  • Domestic Help
    2%

What Royal family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 74,000 census records available for the last name Royal. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Royal census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Royal

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Royal. 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.

View all Royal immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 30,000 military records available for the last name Royal. For the veterans among your Royal ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Royal military records

You've only scratched the surface of Royal family history

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What is the average Royal lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Royal life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1951. The average life expectancy for Royal in 1943 was 28, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Royal

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Royal 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Royal family tree

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