Roi History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Scotland
Ireland

The western seacoast of Scotland and the rugged Hebrides islands made up the ancient Kingdom of Dalriada, the ancestral home of the Roi family. Roi is a name for a person with red hair. Roi is a nickname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. Nicknames form a broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, and can refer directly or indirectly to one's personality, physical attributes, mannerisms, or even their habits of dress. The surname Roi comes from the Gaelic word ruadh, which means red. Thus, the original bearers of the surname Roi would have been known for their red hair, or possibly, a ruddy complexion.

Early Origins of the Roi family

The surname Roi was first found in Lanarkshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig) a former county in the central Strathclyde region of Scotland, now divided into the Council Areas of North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, and the City of Glasgow, where they held a family seat from very early times, where some say before the Millenium.

Early History of the Roi family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Roi research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1488, 1527, 1550 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Roi History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Roi Spelling Variations

Historical recordings of the name Roi include many spelling variations. They include They are the result of repeated translations of the name from Gaelic to English and inconsistencies in spelling rules. Roy, Roys, Roye, Roi, McRoy and others.

Early Notables of the Roi family

Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Roi Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Roi Ranking

In France, the name Roi is the 7,154^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Roi family to Ireland

Some of the Roi family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Roi migration to Canada +

Numerous Scottish settlers settled along the east coast of the colonies that would become the United States and Canada. Others traveled to the open country of the west. At the time of the American War of Independence, some remained in the United States, while those who remained loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The highland games and Clan societies that sprang up across North America in the 20th century have helped many Scots to recover parts of their lost traditions. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Rois to arrive in North America:

Roi Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Joseph Roi, who settled in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland in 1790 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Roi (post 1700) +

Alice Roi (b. 1976), born Alice Roy Blumenthal, an American fashion designer
Augustus Roi Felty (1895-1964), American physician and researcher who identified Felty's syndrome

The Roi Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Qua tendis
Motto Translation: Whither do you steer.

Citations +

http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0