Roa
A surname most likely taken from a place-name, probably meaning someone from Roa or a related local landmark name.
The #5,589 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 49,630 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Roa is generally treated as a Spanish locational name, referring to someone from the town of Roa in Burgos, or from a place so named. Some older surname dictionaries also connect it with the idea of a local sign or landmark, such as a house or place called "the Rose," though that explanation is less certain. In short, it is most likely a place-based surname rather than one built from a personal occupation or nickname.
History
Roa appears in historical Iberian surname lists and in Spanish onomastic works as a recognized family name. The name is still found in Spain and in Spanish-speaking communities abroad, including the Americas. The surname’s relatively low but steady presence in the United States fits a Hispanic origin and later migration.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Roa is also the name of a municipality in Burgos, which makes the surname easy to interpret as a geographic identifier.
From the historical record
“11 £1. Roa if Rowaldi. CO. Omjii, iJJt. A 161S. Walter Roltc and Francea Diuy”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances