2000
#34,673
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 617
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.23
Very Rare Last name
Roston
An English habitational surname derived from places called Roston in Yorkshire and Lancashire.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 769 Americans carry the last name Roston. That puts it at #35,964 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.22 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 445,714 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Roston surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Roston with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
769
1 in 445,714
Census rank
#35,964
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
671
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 671 bearers of the surname Roston in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.22 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 35964th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Roston, the largest self-reported group is Black at 46.9%. The next largest groups are White (42.5%) and Two or More Races (5.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Roston
The surname Roston originated in England, with records dating back to the late 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "ros," meaning a rose, and "tun," meaning a town or settlement. This suggests that the name may have been used to identify someone who lived in a town or village known for its abundance of roses, or perhaps someone who worked with roses.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Roston can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a William de Roston in Oxfordshire. The Hundred Rolls were a survey of land holdings and feudal obligations in England, and the inclusion of the name suggests that the Roston family held some level of prominence or status at the time.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Rouston, Rowston, and Roweston, reflecting the fluid nature of spelling during that period. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 mention a John de Rouston in Yorkshire, while the Poll Tax returns of 1379 list a Robert Rowston in Cambridgeshire.
One notable figure associated with the name Roston was Sir John Roston (c. 1470-1537), a English landowner and member of Parliament for Huntingdonshire in the early 16th century. He played a significant role in local affairs and served as a Justice of the Peace.
Another prominent individual was Thomas Roston (1551-1618), an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Ely Cathedral. He wrote several theological works and was known for his sermons.
In the 17th century, the name Roston appeared in various records, including parish registers and court documents. One example is William Roston (1620-1685), a merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire, who was involved in local governance.
The 18th century saw the birth of John Roston (1736-1805), a British playwright and poet. He authored several comedies and satires that were popular during his lifetime.
Lastly, in the 19th century, Mary Roston (1845-1919) was a notable English journalist and women's rights advocate. She wrote extensively on social and political issues, and campaigned for women's suffrage.
While the surname Roston is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history that can be traced back several centuries. The name's origins and various spellings provide insights into the lives and experiences of those who bore it throughout the ages.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Roston
Among Census respondents with the surname Roston, the largest self-reported group is Black at 46.9%. The next largest groups are White (42.5%) and Two or More Races (5.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Roston bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Roston surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American46.9% · 315
- White42.5% · 285
- Two or more races5.7% · 38
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 19
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.6% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Roston
Roston appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#36,970
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 604
-13 bearers (-2.1%)
Per 100,000 0.20
Rank movement Down 2,297 places
2020
#35,964
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 671
+67 bearers (+11.1%)
Per 100,000 0.22
Rank movement Up 1,006 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #34,673 | 617 | 0.23 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #36,970 | 604 | 0.20 | -13 bearers (-2.1%) | Down 2,297 places |
| 2020 | #35,964 | 671 | 0.22 | +67 bearers (+11.1%) | Up 1,006 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Roston surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #36,970 | #35,964 | 2.7% |
| Count | 604 | 671 | 11.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.20 | 0.22 | 12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Roston bearers went from 604 to 671 (+11.1% change). The surname moved up 1,006 positions in the national ranking, going from #36,970 to #35,964.
FAQ
Roston surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Roston?
Name Census estimates that about 769 living Americans carry the surname Roston. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 445,714 residents.
How common is Roston?
Roston ranks #35,964 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.22 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 671 people with the surname Roston. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (769), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.22 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.22 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Roston.
Has Roston become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Roston went from 604 recorded bearers to 671. That is an increase of 67 (+11.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #36,970 to #35,964.
What does the Census say about the background of Roston?
Among Census respondents with the surname Roston, the largest self-reported group is Black at 46.9%. The next largest groups are White (42.5%) and Two or More Races (5.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Roston in the 2020 Census, accounting for 46.9% (315 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Roston appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (46.9%), White (42.5%), Two or More Races (5.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Roston (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Roston mean?
An English habitational surname derived from places called Roston in Yorkshire and Lancashire. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Roston (0.22 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Roston?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Roston on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.