Surname Roll - Meaning and Origin

Decoding the Origins of Surname 'Roll' with iGENEA DNA Test: A Personal Account

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C. Roll

Roll: What does the surname Roll mean?

The surname Roll is of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from a pre-existing personal name, either Rolle or Rollo. These names were popular during medieval times, with "Rollo" being the name of the Norse warrior who established the duchy of Normandy in the 10th century. The last name Roll could also have evolved from the Old German name "Hrodwulf", which means "fame wolf". It was a frequent personal name in Domesday Book, a survey record of England and Wales ordered by William the Conqueror in the 11th century. There are also regions in France with the place-name Roll, which may have influenced the usage of the name. Therefore, the surname Roll could have also denoted someone from these places. Like many surnames originating from personal names, Roll would have been used to identify a person by their lineage, referring to "son of Rolle/Rollo" or "from Roll", subsequently evolving from a patronymic or locative identifier into a fixed family name.

Roll: Where does the name Roll come from?

Roll is a surname that can be found in many parts of the world today. In the United States, Roll is among the 600 most common surnames, ranking #570 with around 58,000 bearers of the name. Its presence is particularly pronounced in the Midwestern parts of the country, in particular Wisconsin, where it ranks #16.

Outside the US, Roll is an uncommon but relatively widespread surname. It is particularly common in German-speaking countries such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Other noteworthy national concentrations include France, the Netherlands, and Italy. The greatest international presence of the name Roll is found in Austria, where it ranks #29.

Roll is also well-represented in other parts of Europe, in particular in Scandinavia and in Eastern Europe. The name can be found in all of the countries in the region, including Norway, Sweden, Poland, Finland, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, and Slovakia.

Roll is generally an Ashkenazi Jewish surname, and people of that descent who carry the name can be found in many countries in which there are Jewish communities, such as the US, Israel, Russia, and the UK.

Variations of the surname Roll

The surname Roll can take on many different spellings and variants depending on the language and country of origin. The most common spellings include Roll, Röll, Rolle, Röhl, Rohl, Rollo, Rawle, and Rall. Other known versions of the surname include Raisle, Rails, Ræls, and Ralls.

The surname Roll is of German origin and was first recorded in the Middle Ages when the French adopted the German word rollen, meaning to ‘roll’ or ‘turn’. This was potentially because of people who were wheelwrights, turning pottery with a wheel, or those that worked on rolling mills.The roll surname was also a popular farm name in Saxony, Germany, where rollen meant “rye”.

The surname Roll is also found in many other countries, such as the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The launch of the Huguenot Society in 1910 led to many French people adopting the spelling of Rall, moving to the UK from France due to religious persecution.

It is believed that the surname Roll and its variants have multiple origins, so further research into the origin of the name in various countries is necessary to truly understand the full story of the surname Roll and its many forms.

Famous people with the name Roll

• Carry A. Roll (Actor)
• Corwin Roll (Comedian)
• Muriel Roll (Chef)
• Larry Roll (Baseball Player)
• Howard Roll (Politician)
• Spencer Roll (Entrepreneur)
• Dodie Roll (Singer)
• Perry Roll (Television Host)
• Emilio Roll (Athlete)
• Matthew Roll (Photographer)
• Robert Roll (Musician)
• Ian Roll (Model)
• Frank Roll (Businessman)
• Karen Roll (Journalist)
• William Roll (Author)
• Dallas Roll (Race Car Driver)
• Viv Roll (Dancer)
• Jeff Roll (Producer)
• Ryan Roll (Artist)
• Abigail Roll (Weathergirl)

Other surnames

RolRolaRolandRolandtRölckeRoleRöleckeRolederRolefRolefesRoleffRolefsRölekeRolenRoleyRolfRölfRolfeRölferRolfersRolfesRolffRolffsRolffsenRolfingRölfingRolfinkRolfmeierRolfmeyer