The Rosser surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 8,043 people carried this name — #4,417 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 36,600 people counted. That is up 6% from 7,604 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Rosser surname

A surname from Welsh [in turn originating as a patronymic].

From Welsh Rhosier, a cognate of the English Roger.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Rosser» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Rosser’.

An early record he cites: John Roser, Somerset, 1327–28 (1 Edward III) — Kirby's Quest (Somerset).

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 654 · public domain.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

292 people named Rosser live in Switzerland.

They live in 12 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Bern.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Bern 183
Zurich 44
Fribourg 14
Basel-Landschaft 11
Vaud 11
Valais 6
Solothurn 6
St. Gallen 4

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 35 people named Rosser live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 35

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 31 people named Rosser.

9 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 6 départements, most often Moselle.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 9
Moselle 6
Oise 4
Bas-Rhin 4
Haut-Rhin 4
Paris 3
Puy-de-Dôme 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Rosser was found among the farmers of Monmouthshire: 45 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Monmouthshire 45

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

27 families named Rosser, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 130 people lived in those households, 4.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 7 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 9
Virginia 5
South Carolina 4
Vermont 3
Maryland 3
Pennsylvania 2
New York 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 259 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Rosser in American newspapers,
1878–1898.

Newspaper page from The Lake Charles Echo carrying the name Rosser
The Lake Charles Echo 1878-07-11
Newspaper page from The Comet carrying the name Rosser
The Comet 1898-10-20
Newspaper page from The Lake Charles Echo carrying the name Rosser
The Lake Charles Echo 1878-07-04

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 54,401 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Rosser in Australian newspapers,
1840s–2000s.

12,357 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Rosser. The most, 2,014, date from the 1910s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 2.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 3,317
Western Australia 2,745
Queensland 2,642
South Australia 2,125
Victoria 1,287
Tasmania 117
ACT (Canberra) 34
Northern Territory 2

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Rosser.

Who carried it

People named Rosser,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Thomas Rosser d. 1613 · farmer
  • Charles E. P. Rosser d. 1961
  • William Henry Rosser d. 1848
  • Maria J. Rosser 1827–1894
  • Maria J. Rosser 1827–1894
  • John Rosser 1862–1925 · cricketer

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Rosser,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States609 records

609 records of the Rosser name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 271
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 141
  • Other U.S. records 197
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Frank Rosser

    Born 1917 in Georgia. Enlisted 1944 at New York City; baker from New York County, New York. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1975, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Catharina Rosser

    Arrived at New York in 1850 aboard the Richard Anderson from Rotterdam, aged 25; farmer. From Prussia, Germany.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Richard Dale Rosser

    Born 1931; from Perry County, Ohio. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; killed in action 1951 in South Korea.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 609 records for Rosser in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia347 records

347 records of the Rosser name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 201
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 63
  • Other Australian records 83
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Frederick Rosser

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Recovery, sailing from Downs in 1837. Native of London, Middlesex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1843. Married 1843 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 26.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Francis Rosser

    Arrived in Victoria in 1857 aboard the True Briton, aged 30; German.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Ambrose E. Rosser

    Enlisted in 1916 with the 39th Battalion. Honoured on the Ballarat Avenue of Honour.

    City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU)

Showing 3 of 347 records for Rosser in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Germany75 records

75 records of the Rosser name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Konrad Rösser

    From Nordeck, Marburg. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 14 January 1916 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 83).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Johann Rößer

    From Theilheim, Unterfr. Reported dead in the Bavarian casualty list of 1 May 1915 (Infantry Regiment No. 9).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Walter Rösser

    From Annen, Hörde. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 4 June 1918.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 75 records for Rosser in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom33 records

33 records of the Rosser name in the United Kingdom
  • Welsh wills index cards 21
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 12
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Thomas Rosser

    Will proved in 1937; of Mumbles.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record E. G. Rosser

    Driver, Cambridgeshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Thomas Rosser

    Will proved in 1924; of Nr Swansea.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 33 records for Rosser in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands16 records

16 records of the Rosser name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 7
  • Dutch population registers 5
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 4
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Maisie Lesley Rosser

    Died 1968 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 58; ironer.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jan Rosser

    Married in 1635 in Delft; born in Den Haag.

    Open Archives, Archief Delft (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Julie Elfriede Rösser

    Married in 1925 in Apeldoorn.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 16 records for Rosser in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

France15 records

15 records of the Rosser name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Gerard Lucien Rosser

    Born 1947 in Apremont; died 1997 in Senlis (Oise).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Solange Genevieve Rosser

    Born 1920 in Apremont; died 1972 in Creil (Oise).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Marcelle Marie Rosser

    Born 1911 in Clermont-Ferrand; died 1985 in Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 15 records for Rosser in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Canada12 records

12 records of the Rosser name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 7
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 3
  • Other Canadian records 2
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Robert Charles Rosser

    Buried in 1976 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 83.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mary Matilda Rosser

    Died 1955 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record D. Rosser

    Canadian Army Service Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Rosser in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

New Zealand7 records

7 records of the Rosser name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Sidney Rosser

    Died 1943, aged 71; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Rosser

    Died 1949, aged 84; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Richard Rosser

    Died 1940, aged 82; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Rosser in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Rosser.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Rosser is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Rosser volume
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