Meaning and origin
The last name "Roy" is of French origin and has its roots in the Middle Ages. Derived from the Latin word "rex," meaning "king," it initially served as a title or epithet for someone of regal or noble status. Over time, "Roy" evolved into a hereditary surname, indicating a family's descent from individuals holding important positions in society.
The longer story
It is primarily of French origin, deriving from the Old French word "roi," meaning "king." As such, it is an occupational surname, indicating a person who was either a king or someone with a regal connection.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Roy surname can be traced back to the Normans, who were of Viking origin and established dominion in the region of Normandy in present-day France during the 10th and 11th centuries.
With the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, surnames began to spread throughout Europe, and the surname Roy made its way to the British Isles. In England, the surname Roy was occasionally adopted as a nickname for someone with regal qualities.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#640
Roy was the 640th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 53,159 people, about 18 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Roy
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Roy is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.