About the Rolston Surname

Many Rolston families will find their roots under Ralston, the form most records use. The name is generally explained as “Place name”.

How the spelling arose

Rolston writes “o” in place of the “a” found in Ralston, a common scribal difference. Before spelling was standardised, one family could appear under several forms.

The 2010 US Census counted 1,646 people named Rolston, ranking it number 17,202 among American surnames.

Heraldry and the Rolston name

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Ralston surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon.

For the full story, order the Rolston surname pack.