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Updated June 9, 2019

Family name origins & meanings

  • English : from a medieval personal name composed of the Germanic elements hrōd ‘renown’ + wald ‘rule’, which was introduced into England by Scandinavian settlers in the form Róaldr, and again later by the Normans in the form Ro(h)ald. This name has absorbed a much rarer one with the second element hard ‘hardy’, ‘brave’, ‘strong’, which was introduced into England by the Normans in the form Ro(h)ard. It has also sometimes been used as a pet form of Rowe 2, itself both a variant of Rolf and a short form of Rowland.

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