| ![Show Contents]() Roff History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England Etymology of RoffWhat does the name Roff mean? The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change, including many immigrants with new names. Among these were the ancestors of the Roff family, whose name comes from the Norman given name Rudolph. Early Origins of the Roff familyThe surname Roff was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat from early times, soon after the Norman Conquest by Duke William of Normandy in 1066 A.D. Early History of the Roff familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Roff research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1297, 1332, 1510, 1521 and 1557 are included under the topic Early Roff History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Roff Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Roffe, Rolfe, Rolph, Roalph, Roff, Ruff, Rouf and others. Early Notables of the Roff familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was John Rough (died 1557), Scottish Protestant martyr, is stated to have been born in 1510, but as he was incorporated in St. Leonard's College in the university of St. Andrews in 1521. He was a close friend of John Knox and was soon summoned before Winram, the vicar-general of St. Andrews. Rough managed...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Roff Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Roff migration to the United States | + |
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Roff or a variant listed above:
Roff Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Jacob Roff, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1753 1
Roff Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Peter Roff, who landed in New York in 1834 1
- John Roff, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1837 1
- Simon Roff, who arrived in Tippecanoe County, Ind in 1847 1
- Francis Roff, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1865 1
- George Roff, who was on record in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1867
| Contemporary Notables of the name Roff (post 1700) | + |
- Don Roff (b. 1966), American writer and filmmaker from Walla Walla, Washington
- Jeremy Roff (b. 1983), Australian two-time gold medalist middle-distance runner at the 2010 Oceania Championships
- Joe Roff (b. 1975), Australian rugby union footballer
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
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