ROLPH
The surname Rolph has its origins in the British Isles and bears a strong Norse influence.
Its earliest known form derives from the medieval personal name Rolph or Rolf, a shortened version of the Old Norse name Hrolfr. The name Hrolfr is itself a contraction of Hrodwolf, a compound of the elements hrod meaning “renown” and wulf meaning “wolf.” Consequently, the surname Rolph can be understood to mean “famous wolf.”
Historical records show that the name was written in more than fifty different forms. In England the spellings Rolf, Roffe, Ruff and Ruffell were common. In Germany the names Rudolf and Rotlauf appear; in Switzerland a version Rohlf was recorded; in Italy the forms Ridulfo and Firidolfi are attested, and in the Netherlands the spelling Roelof was used.
Medieval documents provide some of the earliest evidence of the name being used as a hereditary surname. In 1252 Johan Rodolfi is mentioned in a charter in Hamburg, Germany. In 1272 a Robert Rolf of Battle in the county of Sussex, England is recorded. A 1300 entry names a Priest Jakob Rufi in Zurich, Switzerland, and a 1332 reference is made to Johan Rudolf of Andelshoven in Germany. The marriage of John Roffe and Elizabeth Blythe was documented at St Stephen’s, Coleman Street, London, on 3 November 1560.
Within the United Kingdom the surname has traditionally been most common in Midlands counties such as Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. According to the 2012 census London recorded over 700 individuals bearing the surname. In North America initial settlers with the name arrived in Virginia during the 17th and 18th centuries. By the early 20th century the name was largely concentrated in South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama, and by the 2000 US census more than 12,000 Americans were listed with the surname, with the greatest concentration found in Georgia, Virginia and North Carolina.
Outside of England and the United States the surname is much less common. A small number of families can be found in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. In Australia the International Genealogical Index contains 320 birth, marriage and death entries, most of which are located in New South Wales and Victoria.
Various spellings of the name have been documented, including Rolf, Rolle, Rolfe, Rolphe, Rollf, Rolphs, Rollfs, Rolphson and Roulph. In some areas the surname may have evolved from the personal name Ralph, giving rise to spellings such as Rafe or Rawling. In certain cases the surname Rolph has been used as an anglicised form of the Irish surname MacRory.
Today the surname remains extant across the English‑speaking world. Although it is not particularly frequent, its historical depth and clear linguistic roots continue to be recognised by genealogical scholars and members of the family alike.
Typical given names associated with the Rolph surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- Ian
- John
- Mark
- Matthew
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Philip
- Stephen
Female
- Claire
- Deborah
- Diane
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Samantha
- Sara
- Sarah
- Susan
- 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 Rolph in...
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Morse
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There are approximately 2,075 people named Rolph in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,086th most common surname in Britain. Around 32 in a million people in Britain are named Rolph.
Surname type: From given name or forename
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Rolph
- Sue Rolph - Swimmer, Olympic athlete, world champion
- Gary Rolph - Football player
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.