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Rolfe Family History

Rolfe Name Meaning

English: of Norman origin from the Middle English and Anglo-Norman French personal name Rolf Roulf Rou Roul Rouf Rof. Its usual derivation is from Old Norse Hrólfr Rolf from ancient Germanic hrōd ‘fame renown’ + wulf ‘wolf’ and occasionally from ancient Germanic Rodulf of the same origin as Hrólfr (earlier Hróthúlfr) but in a West Frankish form which the Scandinavian Normans occasionally used. The name was also common in Normandy where it became Old French Roul Rou often Latinized as Rollo. See Ralph and compare Rowe Dow and Rowson .

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


Similar surnames: Wolfe, Roffe, Rolf, Rolle, Goffe, Royse, Rowse, Rocke, Woulfe, Rolley

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Rolfe family from?

You can see how Rolfe families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rolfe family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rolfe families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,010 Rolfe families living in London. This was about 24% of all the recorded Rolfe's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Rolfe families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rolfe 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 Rolfe 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 Rolfe. 8% of Rolfe men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Rolfe women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rolfe were Bricklayer and Incapacitated. .

View Census Data for Rolfe | 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
    8%
  • Gardener
    6%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%
  • Bricklayer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Rolfe family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 124,000 census records available for the last name Rolfe. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rolfe census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rolfe

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Rolfe. 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 Rolfe immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 10,000 military records available for the last name Rolfe. For the veterans among your Rolfe ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rolfe military records

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What is the average Rolfe lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Rolfe life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Rolfe in 1945 was 20, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rolfe

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