Rolfe
A surname from the old personal name Rolf, ultimately tied to the Norse name Hrólf/ Hrólfr.
The #7,339 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 67,976 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Rolfe is generally understood as coming from the medieval personal name Rolf, a short form related to Rodulf, Ralph, and the Norse name Hrólfr (often Latinized as Rollo or Rollon). In the older sources, it is treated as a descendant of this ancient given name rather than from a place or occupation. The deep root is Germanic and is usually explained as combining elements meaning “fame” and “wolf,” though medieval spellings varied widely.
History
The name appears early in English records and is found in Domesday-era naming, reflecting Scandinavian and Norman influence in medieval Britain. Historical dictionaries also note that it spread into surname use in forms such as Roff and Rolfe, with related surname families developing from the same personal-name base. The surname remains most familiar in English-speaking countries, especially Britain and the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One of the best-known early bearers of the underlying name was Rollo, the first Duke of Normandy, whose name is part of the same naming tradition.
From the historical record
“ROLF 1 ROLFE [ contr. of Rodolf, q.v. rolphJ John Rolf.— Hund: Rolls. Rolf is fairly common in Domesday- Book. It was the name of the first Duke of Normandy (Rolf'T or Hrolf-r, contr. f. HrS^Alf-r and Latinized Rollp). Rolv and Rolf are the mod. Norwegian forms.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)