ROOME

Roome is a surname of English origin that was first recorded in the British Isles. The name is derived from the Old English word rum, meaning spacious or roomy. As a topographic surname, it was applied to individuals who inhabited or were situated near a wide or open area, such as a plain, meadow or expansive dwelling. In some cases the name was also used as a nickname for a person who was tall or possessed a large build, thereby reflecting a physical characteristic rather than a place.

The surname is attested in several early English documents. In the 1296 Subsidy Rolls of Sussex one finds William Rome, while the 1367 rolls of Chelmsford record John Roman of Essex. The 1379 Poll‑tax rolls of Yorkshire mention John de Rome and the 1636 Friary rolls of the same county note George Romans. These records illustrate the variation of spelling that became common within the same period and across different counties.

Additional research of later parish registers shows the recording of Thomas Romines marrying Dorothy Mattlersey at Holy Trinity, York, on 23 January 1639, and the christening of Thomas Roome, son of the former Thomas Roome of the parish of St John’s in Barbados, on 26 November 1679. The appearance of the name in a colonial setting confirms that bearers of the surname emigrated beyond England during the 17th century.

Scholars have identified two further possible origins for the surname that share the same spelling. The first links it to the Latin personal name Romanus, which was carried into England by the Normans following the 1066 invasion and was also popular in Northern France. The second proposes a derivation from the Old French Romeyn, a locational nickname for an individual from Rome, Italy, or one who had visited Rome on pilgrimage. Early forms recorded under these theories include Rome, Roman, Romain(e) and Romayn(e). Patronymic variations such as Romans, Romaines and Romaynes indicate “son of Roman”.

In 1780 a coat of arms was granted to a Roome family in Scotland. The blazon reads: a silver field, on a blue bend between two red roses, a thistle between two fleur de lis in gold. The crest is described as a rose tree bearing roses proper. The first medieval reference to the name appears in the Surrey Curia Rolls of 1208 with the recording of Adam Romayn during the reign of King John (1199‑1216).

Contemporary surname studies show that the Roome name remains most frequently found within England, with occasional concentrations in the North West and South East counties. In the modern era, the surname is also present in diaspora communities in the United States, Canada and Australia, reflecting the broader migration patterns of people of English origin during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Typical given names associated with the Roome surname

Male

• Anthony
• Christopher
• David
• Ian
• James
• John
• Michael
• Paul
• Peter
• Stephen

Female

• Alison
• Amy
• Ann
• Claire
• Debbie
• Elaine
• Helen
• Jennifer
• Julie
• Karen
• Nicola
• Patricia
• Sarah
• Susan

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 Roome in...

Braille

⠗⠕⠕⠍⠑

Morse

.-.--------.

Semaphore

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Famous people named Roome

• Horace Roome - Army officer (1887 to 1964)

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.

Your comments on the Roome surname