Show ContentsRoyden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Royden surname lived in Roydon, places found in Essex and Norfolk. The place-name Roydon is derived from the Old English elements rygen, which means rye, and dun, which means hill. The place-name as a whole translates as "hill where rye is grown." Roydon in Essex was recorded in the Domesday Book as Ruindune; Roydon in Norfolk was recorded in that document as Regadona. The Domesday Book was a survey of England ordered by King WIlliam the Conqueror, the first Norman King of England, in 1086. It was used to reassess the Danegeld (the tax system in place at the time) and as a reference for the settlement of property disputes.

Early Origins of the Royden family

The surname Royden was first found in Suffolk but other branches of the family were located elsewhere. By example, Rowton is a small village located seven miles north of Wellington, Shropshire. It dates back to at least the Domesday Book where it was recorded as Rugheton. 1

The Battle of Rowton Heath was fought between the forces of the parliament and those of King Charles on 24 September 1645 during the English Civil War.

"On Rowton Heath was fought the important battle between the forces of the parliament and those of King Charles, which proved so fatal to the brave Earl of Lichfield, and so disastrous to his royal master; here, also, the Cheshire gentry assembled and declared for a free parliament, on the attempt of Sir George Booth to restore Charles II., in 1659." 2

Rowton Castle is a Grade II listed country house near Shrewsbury in Shropshire. The present castle was built in the 17th century, although a previous castle named Rowton Castle had stood on the site for several hundred years previously. As of 1986, it has been a luxury hotel.

Early History of the Royden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Royden research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1580, 1583, 1610, 1614, 1622 and 1646 are included under the topic Early Royden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Royden Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Royden are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Royden include: Royden, Roydon, Rowton, Rowden and others.

Early Notables of the Royden family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Marmaduke Roydon (1583-1646), English merchant-adventurer, son of Ralph Roydon or Rawdon of Rawden Brandesby in Yorkshire. At sixteen years of age he went to London, where he was apprenticed to Daniel Hall, a Bordeaux merchant, who sent him as his factor to France. He returned to London about 1610 and was elected a common councilman. Soon afterwards he was presented with the freedom of the Clothworkers' Company, and made captain of the city...
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Royden Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Royden migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Royden or a variant listed above:

Royden Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Royden, who arrived in Virginia in 1663 3
  • William Royden, who arrived in west New Jersey in 1664

Australia Royden migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Royden Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Royden, British Convict who was convicted in Liverpool, Merseyside, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Dudbrook" on 17th November 1852, arriving in Western Australia 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Royden (post 1700) +

  • Agnes Maud Royden (1876-1956), English social worker
  • Sir John Royden, Company Director
  • Sir Ernest Royden,
  • Sir John Royden Maddox FRS (1925-2009), British science writer, editor of Nature for 22 years
  • Sir Royden Dash,
  • Royden Wood (1930-2023), English footballer who played as a goalkeeper, best known for his stint with Leeds United (1952-1959)
  • Major-General Royden Eugene Beebe Jr. (1908-1959), American Director of the Office of North Atlantic Treaty Affairs (1951-1953) 5
  • Royden Patrick Dyson (b. 1948), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Maryland State House of Delegates, 1975-81; U.S. Representative from Maryland 1st District, 1981-91; Defeated, 1990 6


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. 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)
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 23rd July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dudbrook
  5. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 6) Royden Beebe. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Beebe/Royden_Eugene_Jr./USA.html
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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