Ballyrolly, County Down
Origin
Ir. Baile Rolaí ‘Rolly’s townland’
Background
The earliest recorded spelling of Ballyrolly is Ralfetona (Eccles. Tax. c.1306) which shows that the place-name is of Norman origin, containing the personal name Ralfe, followed by an inflected form of tun ‘town’, meaning ‘Ralfe’s town’. Black (1946, xliv) informs us that the name Ralph, although introduced to these islands by the Normans, is of Germanic origin. Woulfe (1923, 196) states that Ralph was one of the most common names among the Normans who came to Ireland but that its popularity was short lived. It is normally gaelicized Radhulbh (later Ráulph) but this townland name seems to contain a by-form of the name, Rolaí. There is another townland named Ballyrolly in the parish of Down, Co. Down.
References
Hannan R. J. (1992): Place-Names of Northern Ireland vol. 2 p. 186Additional Information
Historical name form
| Old Form | Ref. Date | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ralfetona, Ecclesia de | 1306c | Eccles. Tax. 18 |
| Balliroly | 1605 | Inq. Ult. (Down) $2 Jac. I |
| Ballyerollie | 1615 | Terrier (Reeves) 57 |
| Ballyrollie | 1615 | Terrier (O'Laverty) 327 |
| Ballyrolly | 1617 | CPR Jas I 326a |
| Balle-Rolloy | 1623 | Ham. Copy Inq. [1623] xxxiv |
| Ballyrolly | 1623 | Ham. Copy Inq. [1623] xxxiii |
| Ballyrolly,the bay of | 1623 | Ham. Copy Inq. [1623] li |
| Ballyrolly | 1636 | Inq. Ult. (Down) $75 Car. I |
| Ballyrolly | 1650c | Inq. Ult. (Down) $109 Car. I |
| Ballyrolly | 1650c | Montgomery MSS 54 n.34 |
| Bellie Rollie | 1652 | Montgomery MSS 135 n.41 |
| Ballyrolly | 1659c | Census 1659 93 |
| Ballerolley | 1661 | BSD 88 |
| (?)Ballyelly | 1663 | Sub. Roll Down 281 |
| Ballyrolly | 1810 | Wm. Map (OSNB) E 167, E 24 |
| Ballyrolly | 1830c | Bnd. Sur. (OSNB) E 167, E 24 |
| Rawley''s Town | 1834c | J O'D (OSNB) E 167, E 24 |
- Barony
- Ards Lower
- Parish
- Donaghadee
- Parish in 1851
- Donaghadee
- Townland
- None
- Place name ID
- 11900
- Place name type
- T