The uncommon English surname Rolfe derives ultimately from the Old Scandinavian and Germanic pre 5th century personal name "Hrodwulf". This was composed of the elements "hrod", meaning "renown", and "wulf", a wolf. In Norse the contracted form was "Hrolfr", in Danish and Swedish "Rolf", and it is said that these personal names reached England first through their popularity with Scandinavian settlers before the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Normans thereafter introduced their own form of the name, generally found as "Rou" or "Roul" and often Latinised as "Rollo". *

B. A. Rolfe Benjamin Albert Rolfe (October 24, 1879 – April 23, 1956) was an American musician known as "The Boy Trumpet Wonder" who went on to be a bandleader, recording artist, radio personality, and film producer. Biography He was born on October 24, ...

, movie producer *

Chris Rolfe Chris Rolfe (born January 17, 1983) is an American former professional soccer player. Playing both as a forward and winger, Rolfe primarily played for the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer, in addition to spending time in the Danish Supe ...

, American soccer player *

Frederick Rolfe Frederick William Rolfe (surname pronounced ), better known as Baron Corvo (Italian for "Crow"), and also calling himself Frederick William Serafino Austin Lewis Mary Rolfe (22 July 1860 – 25 October 1913), was an English writer, artist, ph ...

, also known as "Baron Corvo" *

Guy Rolfe Guy Rolfe (born Edwin Arthur Rolfe, 27 December 1911 – 19 October 2003) was a British actor. Career Rolfe was born in Kilburn, London. Before turning to acting at the age of 24 he was a professional boxer and racing driver, making his stage ...

, English actor * James Rolfe (composer) (born 1961), Canadian composer * James Rolfe (filmmaker) (born 1980), ''The Angry Video Game Nerd'' *

John Rolfe John Rolfe (1585 – March 1622) was one of the early English settlers of North America. He is credited with the first successful cultivation of tobacco as an export crop in the Colony of Virginia in 1611. Biography John Rolfe is believed ...

, English-born Virginia colonist *

John Carew Rolfe John Carew Rolfe, Ph.D. (October 15, 1859 in Newburyport, Massachusetts – March 26, 1943) was an American classical scholar, the son of William J. Rolfe. Rolfe graduated from Harvard University in 1881 and from Cornell University (Ph.D.) ...

, classicist * Lilian Rolfe, female World War II spy *

Louis Rolfe Louis Rolfe (born 21 July 1997) is a British Paralympic track cyclist competing in C2 classification events. Rolfe came to note as a cyclist during the 2016 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships where he was part of the gold medal-winni ...

, British track cyclist *

Louisa Rolfe Louisa Rolfe (born November 1969) is a senior British police officer. She currently serves as Assistant Commissioner for Met Operations in the Metropolitan Police, having been Deputy Chief Constable of West Midlands Police from 2016 - 2020. L ...

, British senior police officer *

Red Rolfe Robert Abial "Red" Rolfe (October 17, 1908 – July 8, 1969) was an American third baseman, manager and front-office executive in Major League Baseball. A graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy, Rolfe also was an Ivy Leaguer: a graduate, then long- ...

, American baseball player *

Rob Rolfe Enter Shikari (stylised as enter: shikari and occasionally as ΣΠΤΣ℞ SΗΦΚ∆℞Φ) are a British rock band formed in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England in 1999 by bassist Chris Batten, lead vocalist and keyboardist Rou Reynolds, and drum ...

, drummer in English post-hardcore band Enter Shikari *

Robert Allen Rolfe Robert Allen Rolfe (1855, Wilford, Nottinghamshire – 1921, Richmond, Surrey) was an English botanist specialising in the study of orchids. For a time he worked in the gardens at Welbeck Abbey. He entered Kew in 1879 and became second assistant. ...

(1855–1921), British botanist *

Thomas Rolfe Thomas Rolfe (January 30, 1615 – ) was the only child of Matoaka (Pocahontas) and her English husband, John Rolfe. His maternal grandfather was Chief Wahunsenacawh (or Powhatan), the leader of the Powhatan tribe in Virginia. Early life Thomas ...

, child of Lady Rebecca and John Rolfe *

William James Rolfe William James Rolfe, Litt.D. (December 10, 1827 – July 7, 1910) was an American educator and Shakespearean scholar. Early life and education Rolfe was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on December 10, 1827. He attended Amherst College from ...

(1827–1910), American Shakespearean scholar

References

See also