ROWLAND
Origination of the surname Rowland can be traced to both Welsh and early medieval English contexts. In Wales the name is a patronymic derivative of the personal names Rhodri or Rhydderch, the Welsh terms for “red ruler” or “red king”. The transition from these personal names to the adopted surname involved the simplification of the original forms, a process common in the evolution of patronymics in the British Isles.
In the English and Norman milieu, another source for Rowland is the personal name Rolant, stemming from the Germanic elements hrod (renown) and land (territory). This name was borne by several prominent figures across medieval Europe, one of whom was a celebrated warrior of Charlemagne. A second English derivation is locational, pertaining to places in Derbyshire and Sussex that were named from the Old Norse elements ra (roe-buck) and lundr (wood, grove). In this sense, the surname signified “the inhabitant of the wood of the roe-buck” and would have been applied to individuals who relocated from such a locality, often in the pursuit of employment or land.
Records from the early modern period provide further evidence of the surname’s use. Parish registers in Derbyshire contain entries such as the marriage of Humfridus Rowland and Johana Hadfield on 25 August 1604 at Baslow and that of Anthony Rowland and Ann Pirson on 7 January 1715 at Eyam. Heraldic grants have appeared in a number of counties, including Carew in the Isle of Anglesea, Shropshire, Saxonbury Lodge in Sussex, and Egham and Barnes in Surrey; these arms traditionally display a silver wavy pile on a black field. The earliest documented spelling is that of Simon Rolland, recorded in 1218 in the “Assize Court Rolls of Lincolnshire” during the reign of King Henry the First, the Frenchman, between 1216 and 1272.
Thus, the surname Rowland represents a confluence of patronymic, locational, and Norman origins within the British Isles, with its bearers predominantly found in Wales and England. The common threads of Christian faith, the English language, and the historical intermingling of Welsh and Anglo‑Norman cultures are evident in its development and persistence across the centuries.
Typical given names associated with the Rowland surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Stephen
Female
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jennifer
- Julie
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Roland
- Rowlands
- Rohland
- Rolander
- Rolan
- Roeland
- Riland
- Rowlandson
- Roaland
- Rolande
- Rolandeau
- Rioland
- Rowlan
- Ralland
- Rawland
- Rawlands
- Rayland
- Reeland
- Reiland
- Reland
- Relandeau
- Relland
- Rellond
- Rewland
- Reyland
- Rialland
- Rieland
- Rilland
- Roelandt
- Rolandi
- Rolando
- Rolands
- Rolandsen
- Rolandson
- Rolender
- Rollan
- Rolland
- Rollando
- Rollands
- Rouland
- Roulland
- Rowlad
- Rowlance
- Rowlanes
- Rowlans
- Rowlant
- Rowlants
- Royland
- Roylands
- Ruelland
- Ruhland
- Ruland
- Rulland
- Ryland
- Rolandez
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Rowland in...
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Rowland are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Shortbread.
There are approximately 17,060 people named Rowland in the UK. That makes it the 518th most common surname in Britain. Around 262 in a million people in Britain are named Rowland.
Surname type: From given name or forename
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Rowland
- Kevin Rowland - Singer-songwriter
- Tiny Rowland - German-British businessman (1917 to 1998)
- Oliver Rowland - Racing driver
- Kelly Rowland - American singer, songwriter, actress
- Keith Rowland - Northern Irish football player
- Bruce Rowland - Rock drummer, session musician (1941 to 2015)
- Mark Rowland - Athletics competitor
- Andy Rowland - Football player and manager
- Robert Rowland -
- Jason Rowland - Boxer
- John Rowland - Football player, born 1941
- Steve Rowland - Football player
- Andy Rowland - Football player (1965 to 1)
- Len Rowland - Football player (1925 to 1)
- Michael Rowland - South African bishop (1929 to 2012)
- Christopher Rowland - Theologian
- Alf Rowland - (1920 to 1)
- Cyril Rowland - Welsh cricketer (1905 to 1971)
- John Cambrian Rowland - Painter (1819 to 1890)
- William Rowland - Welsh cricketer (1904 to 1942)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.