2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Rowatt
A derivation of the Scottish name Rowat, of uncertain origin but possibly associated with cattle herding.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Rowatt. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rowatt surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Rowatt with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Rowatt in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rowatt, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.3%) and Black (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rowatt
The surname Rowatt is believed to have originated in Scotland, with roots tracing back to the 13th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "row," meaning a row or line, and the Scottish word "att," meaning a homestead or dwelling place, suggesting the name may have referred to a house or settlement situated in a row or line.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Rowatt can be found in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls from the late 13th century, where it appears as "Rowath." This indicates that the name was present in Scotland during that period.
In the 15th century, the surname Rowatt appeared in various Scottish records, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where it was spelled "Rowat" and "Rowate." These variations in spelling were common during that time, as spelling conventions were not yet standardized.
The name Rowatt has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was Sir William Rowatt (c. 1520-1598), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Justice Clerk of Scotland from 1587 until his death.
Another prominent figure with the surname Rowatt was John Rowatt (c. 1568-1642), a Scottish minister and academic who served as Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1616 to 1642.
In the 17th century, the Rowatt surname was found in various Scottish parishes, including Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, and Lanarkshire. One notable individual from this period was William Rowatt (c. 1670-1735), a Scottish merchant and landowner who owned estates in Ayrshire.
During the 18th century, the surname Rowatt continued to appear in Scottish records, with some individuals bearing the name migrating to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. One such person was Robert Rowatt (1736-1801), a Scottish-born merchant and plantation owner who settled in Jamaica.
In the 19th century, the Rowatt surname spread further afield, with individuals bearing the name found in various parts of the world, including North America and Australia. One notable figure from this period was John Rowatt (1814-1891), a Scottish-born farmer and businessman who emigrated to Canada and became a prominent citizen in the town of Guelph, Ontario.
Throughout its history, the surname Rowatt has maintained a strong presence in Scotland, with various branches of the family still residing in the country today. While not an exceedingly common name, it has left its mark on Scottish history and culture, with its origins reflecting the linguistic and geographic influences that shaped the development of Scottish surnames.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rowatt
Among Census respondents with the surname Rowatt, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.3%) and Black (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Rowatt bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Rowatt surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.3% · 100
- Hispanic or Latino8.3% · 10
- Black or African American2.5% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.5% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rowatt
Rowatt appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+19 bearers (+18.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 17,663 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +19 bearers (+18.8%) | Up 17,663 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Rowatt surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #159,712 | #142,049 | 11.1% |
| Count | 101 | 120 | 18.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 33.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rowatt bearers went from 101 to 120 (+18.8% change). The surname moved up 17,663 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #142,049.
FAQ
Rowatt surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rowatt?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Rowatt. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Rowatt?
Rowatt ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 120 people with the surname Rowatt. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Rowatt.
Has Rowatt become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rowatt went from 101 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 19 (+18.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Rowatt?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rowatt, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.3%) and Black (2.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Rowatt in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.3% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rowatt appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.3%), Hispanic (8.3%), Black (2.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Rowatt (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Rowatt mean?
A derivation of the Scottish name Rowat, of uncertain origin but possibly associated with cattle herding. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Rowatt (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Rowatt?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Rowatt on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.