Surname Roulstone - Meaning and Origin

Roulstone: What does the surname Roulstone mean?

The last name Roulstone is an old English surname which is thought to have originated from the town of Roulston in Northumberland, England. It is believed to have been derived from the Old English words 'hrof', which meant 'promontory', and 'tun', which means 'enclosure', making it essentially a 'promontory enclosure'. This surname has been present in England since at least the 13th century, with the earliest recorded instance being in 1275 when Jervase de Rulewastone was mentioned in the curia rolls.

The Roulstone family was prominent in the North of England during the Middle Ages. Some of its members include Sir John Roulstone of Humshaugh, Northumberland, who was knighted by Edward IV in 1465, William Roulstone of Allerby who held a royal patent in 1510, and Christina Roulstone, a notable Puritan preacher. During the 19th century, some of the Roulstones migrated to other parts of the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States.

In modern times, the Roulstone surname has many variants, including Roulston, Rolston, Rulewastone, and Rolleston. It is a common name today, with many people tracing their ancestry back to the small Northumberland town. The Roulstone surname has come to be associated with perseverance, resilience, and a strong sense of family values and loyalty.

Roulstone: Where does the name Roulstone come from?

The last name Roulstone is a fairly rare surname that has origins in England and France. It is most commonly found in England and Wales, with smaller populations residing in Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

In England and Wales, there were only 531 people recorded with the surname in 2011. The largest concentration was in the Greater London area, and the West Midlands, with smaller numbers found in the West Yorkshire, Liverpool, Hampshire, Cornwall and Devon areas.

In the United States, the surname is 4 times less common than in England and Wales. The last name is scattered across the United States with the highest concentrations located in the states of New York, California, Oregon, Massachusetts, and Texas.

In Canada, where the surname is spelled as Rouselle, it is even less common than in the US. Only 3 people per million citizens carry this name, making it around 3,000 individuals.

Worldwide, the surname Roulstone is estimated to be shared by fewer than 10,000 people with most of them living in England and Wales. This is due to its English and French origins, although more people have since spread across the globe and adopted the name.

Variations of the surname Roulstone

The surname Roulstone has several different variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These include Ralestone, Rawlestone, Rollstone, Roulston, Rulston, and Rouselston.

Ralestone shares the same origin as Roulstone, and is typically seen as a variant of Roulstone. This variant is derived from the Old English ryhpla stone, meaning "stream stony".

Rawlestone is derived from the same origin as Roulstone, derived from the Old English ryhpla stan meaning "stream stone" or "stream stony".

Rollstone is another variant that is usually found in relation to the Roulstone surname, also deriving from the same Old English term ryhpla stan meaning "stream stoney".

Roulston is an anglicized version of the surname, also sharing the same origin. It is a variant spelling of the spelling Roulstone, and is derived from the same Old English term.

Rulston is likely a variant of the spelling Roulstone. It is thought to have been derived from the Old English ryhpla stan, the same term used to derive the other spelling variations.

Rouselston is an anglicized spelling of the surname, deriving from the same Old English term— ryhpla stan, which translates to "stream stone" or "stream stoney". It is a variant of the spelling Roulstone.

Famous people with the name Roulstone

• Toby Roulstone: British lyricist and playwright, best known for having written the music and lyrics for the hit West End musical Everybody's Talking About Jamie.
• David Roulstone: British violinist for the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
• Julian Roulstone: British physicist and meteorologist, and professor at the University of East Anglia.
• Stuart Roulstone: British actor known for his roles in films such as The Last King of Scotland and Sunshine.
• Ruth Roulstone: British psychotherapist and specialist in the field of psychoanalysis.
• Erika Roulstone: Canadian actor best known for her roles in television and film, including the Lifetime movie Mommy's Little Angel.
• Rebecca Roulstone: Canadian actress most well-known for her work on the Sci-Fi drama series, Stargate SG-1.
• Sophie Roulstone: British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist best known for her indie-pop solo work.
• Joe Roulstone: English footballer currently playing for the Manchester City organization.
• Sarah Roulstone: British author and illustrator whose works explore questions of identity and cultural traditions.

Other surnames

Roulston