Krol
An old surname probably nicknamed for a curly-haired person.
The #8,235 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 76,707 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Krol is generally explained from Dutch krol, referring to something curled, curly, or crinkled. In surname use, it most likely began as a nickname for someone with notably curly hair. Related Dutch and Flemish forms include Krul, Crul, and Crol, all pointing to the same basic idea.
History
The name appears in Dutch-speaking areas and has close parallels in several surname forms built from the same “curly-haired” nickname. The excerpted 19th-century source explicitly groups Krol with surnames it interprets as coming from hair texture. In modern usage, Krol is found beyond the Low Countries through migration, including in the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A 19th-century Dutch onomastician grouped Krol with a cluster of surnames he thought all reflected curly or crinkly hair.
From the historical record
“tegenhanger van Kruisbaar kwam in de vorige een de geslachts- naam Gladhair voor. Ongetwyfeld vinden de geslachtsnamen Krul, Krull, Crul, Krol enCrol ook bunnen oorsprong in het krullende haar van hem die eerst zulken naam droeg. De Ruig, Ruig, Ruyg en Ruge zijn geslachtsnamen die zekerlik ook op eenen ruigen…”
— De Nederlandsche geslachtsnamen in oorsprong, geschiedenis en beteekenis