Surname Roelants - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'R'
Roelants: What does the surname Roelants mean?
Roelants is a Dutch surname meaning ‘son of Roelant'. Roelant itself is a name of Germanic origin, derived from Hrodebert, meaning “bright fame”. It is found in records throughout Europe, from France and Belgium to the Low Countries and even to Scandinavia.
The Roelants name has taken several different spellings over the years. In France, for example, it’s sometimes recorded as Rolant, while in the Netherlands and Germany it’s more frequently spelled Roelants. Those with the name often trace their family back to the namesake Roelant van der Corput, a man thought to have been born in the 13th century in the Middle Ages.
These days, the surname is most commonly associated with the Netherlands and Dutch-speaking areas like Flanders and Suriname, where many people bearing the Roelants name are descended from families who settled there centuries ago.
Given the historical record, it’s likely that people with the surname Roelants are of Dutch or Dutch-Flemish origin. The name represents not just an ancestor, but a culture, a connection to the wider world, and a commitment to keep the family's most important name alive.
Order DNA origin analysisRoelants: Where does the name Roelants come from?
The last name Roelants is most commonly found in Belgium, with an origin stemming from the Flemish area of the country. According to World Names PublicProfiler, the name is most commonly found in the provinces of Antwerp and Limburg, but is also found in pockets in the provinces of East Flanders, Liège, and West Flanders.
In Belgium, Roelants is thought to be derived from the Dutch placename Roelant. It is likely that it refers to a person who originated from this location. In the Middle-Ages, Roelants was a common name, and there are records in the parish archives of the region extending from as far back as the 16th century.
The name is also found in areas of France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and even the United States. In the Netherlands, the name Roelants is most commonly found in the provinces of North Holland, Utrecht, South Holland and Flevoland. Within the United Kingdom, it is most commonly found in the West Midlands and London. In the United States, the name is most common in the state of New York, with numbers in California, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.
Overall the name Roelants is most commonly found in Belgium and the Netherlands, but is also present in pockets across the world.
Variations of the surname Roelants
The surname Roelants is of Dutch origin derived from the old Dutch word “roelen”, meaning a ruler or chieftain. Alternate spellings and variants of this surname include: Roelen, Rowland, Rolofs, Roele, Roeland, and Rolands.
The surname would have first been used in the Netherlands and was later carried to other countries such as Belgium, England, France, Germany, the United States, and beyond with those emigrating from the Netherlands.
Many variations now exist for this surname with Roelen being an example. In addition, Rowlands is a more popular version in its English translation. It likely evolved from the Dutch spelling of the name over time.
Roelofs is another variation, based on the Dutch patronymic naming system. In such systems, the eldest son would add “s” or “son” to the end of the father’s first name. Originally, the name Roelof would have been the original surname, however over time this evolved into Roelofs. Variations of this include Roeloffs, Roelofsen and Roelofszoon.
Roele is another spelling of the surname, likely based on the Dutch pronunciations of Roelen. This spelling is more frequently encountered in Northern France near the Netherlands. Variations of Roele include Roelle, Rouelle, and Roole.
Roeland is primarily used in the Netherlands, France, and Belgium. This contraction combining ‘Roe’ which is a combination of Roelen, and ‘Land,’ a reference to the idea of being a ruler or chieftain.
In addition, Rolands is a variant, likely related to the Dutch patronymic naming system. Rolands would have been used in place of Roelofs as a surname.
Overall, there are many varied spellings and variants of the surname Roelants from the Netherlands, with some being primarily used in the Netherlands, France and Belgium, while others are more popular in the English language.
Famous people with the name Roelants
- Bart Roelants, Belgian Television Journalist
- Toon Roelants, Dutch footballer
- Piere Roelants, Belgian painter
- Jimmy Roelants, Belgian football midfielder
- Patrick Roelants, Belgium Paralympic alpine skier
- Ruben Roelants, Belgian Cyclocross Champion
- Johan Roelants, Belgian road bicycle racer
- Jitse Roelants, Dutch TV presenter
- Sonja Roelants, Belgian artistic gymnast
- Paul Roelants, Belgian rower
- Dries Roelants, Belgian swimmer
- Lanna Roelants, Dutch canoeist
- Daphne Roelants, Dutch kite boarder
- Sander Roelants, Belgian judoka
- Yorben Roelants, Belgian volleyball player