Surname Rolnick - Meaning and Origin

Rolnick: What does the surname Rolnick mean?

The last name Rolnick is of Jewish origin and is found primarily in Lithuania and Belarus, two countries with a predominantly Ashkenazi Jewish population. The name is derived from the Hebrew “roshniks”, which translates to mean “cure” or “healer”. It is believed that the Rolnick family were healers of some renown in the early days of the Jewish diaspora in Eastern Europe.

The origin of the family may date back as early as the fifteenth century, when Lithuanian Jews were first allowed to settle by the Grand Duke Vytautas. This event marked the beginning of Jewish settlement in the region, and eventually resulting in the establishment of a number of influential Jewish families in the area.

One of the most prominent figures of the Rolnick family was Reuben Rolnick (1777-1844). Reuben was a rabbi, educator and social reformer, known for his outspoken advocacy for Jewish rights in Lithuania and Belarus. He was one of the early pioneers of the Haskalah movement, which sought to bridge the gap between traditional rabbinic teaching and the secular world.

Today, the Rolnick name is not as common as it once was, but it remains known as a source of pride and honor for families descended from this long line of influential Jewish figures from Eastern Europe.

Rolnick: Where does the name Rolnick come from?

The last name Rolnick is found most commonly in Russia, as it is a Russian surname. Small numbers of the surname can also be found in other countries, particularly in the Slavic-speaking countries of Central and Eastern Europe. In Russia, people with the last name Rolnick are primarily spread across the European part of the country, stretching from the Urals to the Prague Sea.

Due to large-scale Jewish emigration in the 19th and 20th centuries, there is also a small but not insignificant number of people with the surname Rolnick in both Israel and the United States. For example, in 2018 the US Census listed nearly 900 people with the last name Rolnick.

Analyzing the history of the surname gives a clue as to where people with this name can be found today. Rolnick (Рольник) is believed to be an occupational name for someone who worked in a rope-shop. This suggests that it largely originated in the Russian Empire in the late 17th to 19th centuries and with Russian Jews who left the Russian Empire in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the surname spread to other countries.

Variations of the surname Rolnick

The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Rolnick include Rolnik, Rolnikov, Rolnitsk, Roolnick, Rulnick, Rollnik, Rollsnick, and Rolneck. According to a website with an index of surnames, these variations of Rolnick come from the same Polish origination. The meaning of this surname is "Sincerity, honesty, and loyalty".

Rolnick is a patronymic surname, which is a surname created from the father's first name. In the case of the surname Rolnick, it is possible that it was derived from an ancestor with the Polish first name Roman.

Rolnick was first recorded in the spellings of Roolnick and Rulnick in 1522 during the reign of King Henry VIII of England. In 1666 the spelling Rollsnick was recorded in a local parish register. During the 18th century, the spelling Rolneck appears in documentation in Scotland, and during the 19th century, the spelling Rolnik was recorded in Russia and Romania.

Rolnick is primarily found in Eastern Europe, with an emphasis on Poland. People with this surname are found in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere. The origin of the surnames suggests that the ancestors of those with the surname were likely of Jewish faith, as it is mostly found in Ashkenazi Jewish populations.

Famous people with the name Rolnick

• Lynn Rolnick, American composer
• Amit Rolnick, Israeli guitarist
• Zeev Rolnick, Israeli footballer
• Michael Rolnick, British musician
• Phil Rolnick, American jazz guitarist
• Mijal Rolnick, Israeli actress
• Jeannie Rolnick, American artist
• Aaron Rolnick, Israeli jazz pianist and composer
• Reggie Rolnick, American basketball player
• Leonard Rolnick, American filmmaker and producer

Other surnames

Rolnik