KROLL
Kroll is a surname that originates in Germany and Poland, and has also been documented in Jewish communities. The name derives from a number of linguistic sources, mainly the Middle High German word krol, the Old High German word krol and the Polish word król.
In German linguistic tradition, the term krol and its variant kroil are recorded in Middle High German as meaning “curly” or “curtled.” The surname was likely first applied as a descriptive nickname for individuals with curly or frizzy hair. A parallel sense, found in Old High German, describes krol as “curved” or “bent,” and could have been used for a person noted for a bent physical feature.
In Polish, the word król translates to “king.” The adoption of Kroll as a surname in Polish contexts is sometimes associated with people who served in royal households or were otherwise regarded as having a kingly resemblance or station. The variation krol appears across a number of spellings, including Krol, Krolle, Krolman, and Krolak, reflecting regional orthographic preferences.
Other documented variants of the surname illustrate its spread across Europe and beyond: Kronik, Krohl, Krull, Krall, Krahl, Kral, and Kroul. These pluralised forms arose through phonetic spelling and local linguistic influences, and some bear the prefix von or van, suggesting a locative origin in certain German and Dutch instances.
Historical records give the earliest known appearance of the name in 1339, when a person named Klaus Krol was registered in the city of Lübeck. Subsequent documentation shows that the surname remained common in northern and central parts of Germany and in southeastern Poland throughout the medieval period and into the modern era.
In the United States, concentrated communities of individuals carrying the surname Kroll developed during periods of migration from Europe, especially in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Populations of the name also exist in Canada, Brazil, Australia, and other English‑speaking nations, reflecting wider diaspora patterns.
While the surname encapsulates a diverse set of origins—from descriptive nicknames to possible occupational or royal associations—the most consistently attested interpretation remains the medieval nickname derived from the Germanic *krol* meaning “curly.” This connection is supported by parallel English‑speaking usage where surnames derived from physical traits were common. The breadth of spelling variations and regional usage demonstrates the historical mobility of the name, yet the core linguistic roots remain firmly within the Germanic and Slavic languages of Central Europe.
Typical given names associated with the Kroll surname
Male
- Alexander
- Andrzej
- David
- Gary
- Jacob
- James
- Jason
- Joshua
- Martin
- Nicholas
- Stephen
Female
- Elizabeth
- Katie
- Louise
- Magdalena
- Monika
- Sheila
- Shelley
- Susan
- Una
- Victoria
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Kroll in...
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There are approximately 167 people named Kroll in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around three in a million people in Britain are named Kroll.
Region of origin: Europe
Country of origin: Germany
Language of origin: German
Famous people named Kroll
- Nick Kroll - American stand-up comedian
- Una Kroll - Nun, missionary doctor, parliamentary candidate, priest, and campaigner for women's ordination (1925 to 2017)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.