Surname Royle - Meaning and Origin

Royle: What does the surname Royle mean?

Royle is an English surname that has roots in ancient British history. It is derived from the Old French word "roial," which translates to "royal" in English. This suggests that the ancestors of the Royle family may have been closely related to royal families or served in roles for the royal court. It might also reflect a nickname implying a person who was "regal," "imperious," or "proud." The name has various spelling variations including Royal, Ryall, and Ryal. Additionally, Royle might be of a geographical origin from a place called Royle in Lancashire, England. This place derives its name from the Old English term "ryge hyll," which means "rye hill" and would be a topographic name for someone who lived by a hill where rye was grown. Overall, the last name Royle typically signifies nobility, royalty, or geographical origin.

Royle: Where does the name Royle come from?

Royle is a surname most commonly found in the United Kingdom. It is particularly prevalent in the North of England, from Lancashire to Yorkshire. The earliest records of people bearing the name date back to the late 1400s in Lancashire and the surname was first recorded in Yorkshire in 1581.

Today, the surname Royle is still relatively common in the North of England. According to the 2019 UK census, the highest concentration of people bearing the name is found in Lancashire, especially near the towns of Preston and Ormskirk.

Other areas of the North of England with significant numbers of Royles today include Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire. Outside of England, the surname is also commonly found in Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

It is likely that the Royle name was derived from the Old French personal name 'Rouel' or 'Roel'. This name was likely introduced to Britain after the Norman Conquest in 1066 with 'Rouel' being a form of the male personal name 'Roland', most notably associated with the medieval tales of the hero Roland and the Song of Roland.

Today, the name Royle is still widely used by families originally from the North of England, particularly in counties such as Lancashire, West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.

Variations of the surname Royle

The surname Royle is believed to have Anglo-Saxon origins and generally is found across Europe. It is believed to derive from the name "Raul", meaning "counsel wolf" or "wise wolf". The variations of Royle include Roll, Rolls, Rolle, Roule, Roole, Rowle and Rowl all of which have long been found in England.

In Ireland, the name may also be found as Ryle and Ryall. In Scotland, the variants Rule, Roe, Rouell, Rowell, Rrael and Rowwell can be found. In France, the name can be found as Roullé, Rouillé and Rouillé and also in Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine as Raitel.

Other variations may include: Roaal, Roal, Roal, Roales, Roill, Roley, Roles, Roole, Rouall, Roul, Roule, Roull, Roulle, Roulli, Roully, Roullie, Rouly, Rowel, Rowell, Rowol, Rowole, Royahl and Royel.

It is likely that some of these variations are a result of settlers who had different dialects, mispronunciations and translations of the name.

Famous people with the name Royle

• Tony Royle: Tony Royle is a former English professional footballer who played as a winger. He made over 310 appearances in the Football League, most notably for Birmingham City.
• Laurie Royle: Laurie Royle is a former Scottish professional football player who played for Hearts, Falkirk, St Johnstone and Forfar Athletic.
• Paul Royle: Paul Royle is an English former professional association football player. He notably played for both Arsenal and Manchester United.
• Bobby Royle: Bobby Royle is a professional English football player who currently plays for Forest Green Rovers.
• Jim Royle: Jim Royle is an English comedian best known for his role as Jim in the BBC sitcom "The Royle Family".
• Francene Royle: Francene Royle is an Australian actress, mother, and fitness model. She is best known for her role as Olivia in the Australian television series "Out of the Blue".
• George Royle: George Royle was an English professional association football player who famously played for Newcastle United F.C..
• PlanetRoyale: PlanetRoyale is an English EDM producer and DJ. He has produced hit tracks such as "Thinking Out Loud" and "In the Air".
• Michael Royle: Michael Royle is a former English professional footballer who played as an inside forward for clubs such as Preston North End and Bury.
• John Royle: John Royle is an English former professional association football player who notably played for Manchester City.

Other surnames

RoylRoylesRoyls