For those people who are trying to source
information on the Roulstone surname, here is a bit of information
we have found on the origins of the name.
Due to the concentration of Roulston's in and
around the Stanton
by Bridge area of Derbyshire, it is highly probable that
Henry Roulston/Rollston was decsended from the local area.
The thinking between researchers suggests this link would
be to either the Swarkeston branch of the Rolleston family,
or from the Aston branch of Rolston's, who are most probably
descended from the Swarkeston branch.
"STANTON-BY-BRIDGE,
so named from an ancient bridge, which crosses the Trent here,
and connects this parish with that of Swarkeston, is nearly
7 miles S.E. from Derby, and about two N.W. from Melbourn.
The church, which is dedicated to St. Michael, is partly in
the Norman and partly in the decorated style of architecture:
the living is a rectory, in the patronage of Sir George Crewe.
The population, at the census for 1831, was 215."
[Description from Pigot and Co's Commercial
Directory for Derbyshire, 1835]
"ASTON-UPON-TRENT
is a parish and village, in the same hundred as Shardlow,
two miles from that place, and about six and a half from
Derby. The hall of Aston, a substantial mansion, the seat
of Edward Anthony Holden, Esq. is in the village. At one
time this place must have been of much more importance than
at the present period, for we find that in 1256, the privilege
of holding a market and fair was granted to it, - both,
however, have long been discontinued. The church is dedicated
to All Saints, and the living is a rectory, in the patronage
of the Holden family. The parish (which has no dependent
township), contained, in 1831, 620 inhabitants."
[Description from Pigot and Co's Commercial
Directory for Derbyshire, 1835]
"SWARKESTON,
as before-mentioned [Ed: with Stanton-by-Bridge], is an
adjoining parish to Stanton, in the same hundred as Melbourn,
about three miles from that village. Swarkeston bridge is
supposed to be the longest in Europe, extending nearly a
mile over the meadows and low grounds to Stanton; it was
originally very narrow, but has been widened so as to allow
carriages to pass each other. The Trent and Mersey canal
runs through the parish, and is here joined by the Derby
canal. The church is dedicated to St. James: the living
is a rectory, in the same patronage as Stanton. Population,
by the returns for 1831, 308."
[Description from Pigot and Co's Commercial
Directory for Derbyshire, 1835]
The family name of Rolleston and its many variants
such as Rolston, Roleston, Roulston, etc, originated as several
placenames in the midland counties of England, specifically
in Staffordshire and Nottinghamshire and perhaps also in Leicestershire
and Yorkshire, where farms or small settlements held the name
as far back in time as the Viking occupation of the Danelaw
during the late 9th and early 10th centuries.
Most of these surnames are derived from the
Old Norse personal name "Hrolfr, and from the Old English
cognate form "Hroowulftun", meaning "Rolf's
enclosure, or settlement"
The earliest recorded reference to the village
of Rolleston
in Staffordshire is preserved in a royal charter by King Edmund,
dated 942 AD, in which he granted extensive lands to Wulsye
Maur, who was quite an important individual and held a substantial
number of estates within the Trent valley. Included in the
grant was the estate of Roolfestun, subsequently known as
Rolfestun, then Rolveston or Rolvestune, and now in modern
days, as Rolleston-on-Dove.
After the Norman invasion the name became used
personally, firstly as an identifier, such as in "William
de Rolvestune", then several generations later became formalised
into an hereditary surname. During the first century after
the Norman conquest, any person. termed "de Rolvestune" certainly
lived at the settlement of Rolvestune, and in most cases,
the recorded names were of the head of the household and lord
of the manor. By the 14th century, the name was already well
established as a proper surname, and the first recorded branch
of the family inherited other lands and became known as "Rolleston
of the Lea".
Rolleston,
Nottinghamshire, is a village of some 100 houses lying near
the River Greet, in the Trent Valley between Newark and Southwell.
In the Domesday
Book, it had 3 manors, (one of which was held by Bishop
Odo of Bayeaux, half brother to William the Conqueror), and
3 mills, and there is an interesting area of moats and fish-stews.
The Parish Church dates mainly from the 13th century, although
there was a church there in Saxon times.
Rolleston Parish contains the
two townships of Rolleston and Fiskerton, which contain together
583 inhabitants and 2,583a 3r 23p of rich loamy land, of which
280 inhabitants and 1,585 acres are in Rolleston and 303 inhabitants
and 998a 3r 7p are in Fiskerton, which is included in the
Southwell division of Thurgarton hundred.
Rolleston is a pleasant village 3 miles
east by south of Southwell, bounded on the south and east
by the Trent, and intersected by the River Greet. The church
is an ancient structure, dedicated to the Holy Trinity,
with a tower and four bells. The living, a vicarage, is
valued in the King's books at £10 1s 3d, now £246. The Chapter
of Southwell are patrons, and the Rev. Robert Fowler incumbent.
The vicarage, a neat brick house near the church, was built
in 1844. John Henry Manners Sutton Esq. M.P. is lessee of
the great tithe, under the Chapter of Southwell, lord of
the manor, and principal owner. The poor have the interest
of £130, bequeathed by Sir Thomas Lodge, Diana Gibson, Luke
Williamson and Nicholas Kirkby.
White's Directory of Nottinghamshire
1853
Watnall
Hall in Nottinghamshire has since the early part
of the seventeenth century been the seat of a family, of both
antiquity and distinction‹the Rollestons. These were formerly
of Rolleston, in Staffordshire, from which place they took,
or gave, their name. The Rollestons, of Rolleston, they were,
before they disposed of their estate to the Mosleys (who have
been settled there since), and came to live in this part of
the country on property which they acquired by marriage a
long while ago. Like the Canteloupes at Greasley, the Rollestons
were supporters of Charles I during the civel war. The last
of the Rolleston family died in 1941 and the Hall was demolished
in 1962 and the site used for housing.
Early written references to the name are also
one of Simon de Roluestona from the county of Leicestershire
in England, according to the Pipe Poles of the year 1170.
The same record for the county of Northamptonshire reveals
the name of Robert de Rolleston in 1181, and the Doomsday
book for the county of Leicestershire mentions the names Rolleston
and Roldeston.
During the reign of James I, Hugenots were arriving
in Dublin, and obtaining letters of naturalisation with relative
ease, which coincided with the introduction of the surname
Roulston into Irland. The surname Roulston was also introduced
into County Armagh and spread into the counties of Tyrone
and Antrim where it became fairly numerous.
The name was introduced into North America,
and probably from there into Canada from the late Seventeenth
Century by a number of individuals, namely Sarah Roulstone
to Virginia in 1684, Samual Roulston to Barstable, Mass. in
1823, James Roulston to Philadelphia in 1856 and John Roulston
to New York in 1823.
Another Roulstone variation, the Ralston
family are also descended from Ralph, son of Macduff, Thane
of Fife, who obtained a grant of lands in Renfrewshire, which
he called Ralphstoun, corrupted to Ralston. Ralstons are mentioned
in charters as far back as 1272 and 1346. The Ralston's were
part of Clan Mcduff from Ralphs father.(Ref: "The Orgin and
Signification of Scottish Surnames", by Clifford Stanley Sims,
Page #87.)
Records show the Rolstones emigrated to America
from Paisley and Renfrew, Scotland, when the westward expansion
grew in the British Isles. Before 1676, a John
"Roulstone" emigrated to Boston, and
a number of his descendants landed at Philadelphia,PA and
Jamestown,VA.
Sources:The Feudal Origins of the Rolleston
Family by Ken Rolston.
Leonard Jacks, The Great Houses of Nottinghamshire and the
County Families, Nottingham 1881.
White's Directory of Nottinghamshire 1853
Pigot and Co's Commercial Directory for Derbyshire, 1835
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