Find out how popular the last name Rowden is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Rowden.

Rowden, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Rowden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rowden in America

Rowden is the 10068th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rowden surname appeared 3,202 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Rowden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rowden to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Rowden

The surname Rowden originates from England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words 'ruh' meaning rough and 'dun' meaning hill or down, indicating a person who lived near a rough or uncultivated hill. The earliest known spelling of the name was 'de Rowedune' recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1195.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is mentioned as a place name in the county of Sussex. The village of Rowden, located in the parish of Ringmer, likely took its name from the same Old English origins.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms such as 'de Rowedone' and 'Rowedun', reflecting the local dialect and spelling variations of the time. The first recorded instance of the modern spelling 'Rowden' dates back to 1327 in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire.

Among the notable individuals bearing this surname was Sir William Rowden (1460-1518), a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Shropshire. He served as Sheriff of Shropshire in 1498 and was knighted by King Henry VIII in 1513.

Another notable figure was John Rowden (1562-1637), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Orford in Suffolk. He published several religious works, including 'A Treatise on the Resolution' in 1620.

In the 17th century, Thomas Rowden (1629-1696) was a prominent merchant and philanthropist in London. He donated generously to various charitable causes and helped establish the Rowden Almshouses in Hackney, which provided housing for the poor.

The surname also has connections to the American colonies, with Richard Rowden (1670-1744) being one of the earliest settlers in Virginia. He established a plantation in Westmoreland County and his descendants played an active role in the American Revolutionary War.

During the 19th century, Joseph Rowden (1810-1892) was a respected British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall and the Natural History Museum.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the surname Rowden throughout history, demonstrating its longstanding presence and significance across various fields and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rowden

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Rowden.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Rowden was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Rowden has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Rowden was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Rowden, please contact us.

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