Dictionary of Family Names

ROYD, ROYDS.   A local name meaning "at the rode" (so always spelt in early records), an old term implying a ridding, or clearing.   Compounded with the Christian name of the proprietor or settler we get Murgatroyd (Mergret = Margaret) or Ormerod (Orme).  Whitaker, in his Hist. and Ant. of Craven, has such spots as Tomrode and Wilimotrode (Wilmot = William): p. 199.  Sometimes 'royd' is compounded with the names of the hills cleared, as in Holroyd or Acroyd; sometimes with the profession of the resident, as Monkroyd or Smithroyd (Whitaker, p. 199); sometimes with a word descriptive of the locality, as in Huntroyd.  The glossary to Hulton's Coucher Book of Whalley Abbey says:  'Roda, an assart or clearing.  Rode land is used in this sense in modern German, in which the verb roden means to clear.  The combination of the syllable rod, rode, or royd with some other term, or with the name of an original settler, has, no doubt, given to particular localities such designations as Huntroyd, Ormerod, &c.'   See Notes and Queries, 1st Ser., vol. v. p. 571, for further authorities.  Dr. Whitaker styles it 'a participial substantive of the provisional verb rid, to clear or grub up':  see Hist. Whalley, 3rd edit., p. 364.  v. Roades for further instances.