Explore the Family Name Royston
The meaning of Royston
1. English: habitational name from Royston (Yorkshire) and Royston (Hertfordshire). The Yorkshire placename derives from the Old Norse personal name Hróarr (genitive Hróars) or an Old English personal name Hrōr (genitive Hrōres), meaning ‘vigorous’, + Old English tūn ‘farmstead, estate’. The Hertfordshire placename derives from a female personal name Roys, related to ancient Germanic Hrōhohaidis, + Middle English toun ‘town, settlement’ (see Rose 2). 2. Americanized form of one or more similar (like-sounding) Jewish surnames.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Royston in the United States?
According to data derived from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Royston has seen a slight decrease between the years 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Royston was ranked the 11,273rd most popular surname in the United States, but slipped to the 11,704th position by 2010, marking a decline of 3.82%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of individuals bearing the Royston name increased during this period from 2,574 to 2,678, a rise of 4.04%. However, when measured as a proportion per 100,000 people, the prevalence of the Royston surname decreased slightly by 4.21%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,273 | #11,704 | -3.82% |
| Count | 2,574 | 2,678 | 4.04% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.95 | 0.91 | -4.21% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Royston
The ethnic identity associated with the Royston surname also shifted during this decade, as indicated by the Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage of Roystons identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander grew by an impressive 31.48%, while those reporting two or more races surged by 73.57%. Hispanic representation also increased, rising by 56.00%. On the other hand, there were marginal drops among those identifying as White and Black, with declines of 2.37% and 1.26% respectively. The largest decrease was seen among those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, which fell by 38.71%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 74.59% | 72.82% | -2.37% |
| Black | 21.41% | 21.14% | -1.26% |
| Hispanic | 1.75% | 2.73% | 56% |
| Two or More Races | 1.4% | 2.43% | 73.57% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.54% | 0.71% | 31.48% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.31% | 0.19% | -38.71% |