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

Rowdy, 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 Rowdy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rowdy in America

Rowdy is the 132206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rowdy surname appeared 128 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Rowdy.

The history of the last name Rowdy

The surname Rowdy is believed to have originated in England, likely in the late 16th or early 17th century. It is thought to be a variant spelling or an anglicized form of the French surname "Roudy" or "Roudie," which itself may be derived from the Old French word "rude" meaning "rough" or "uncouth."

Rowdy was likely an occupational surname initially given to someone who had a rough or unrefined manner, or possibly to someone who worked in a rough or rugged occupation such as a blacksmith or a stonemason. The name may also have been used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a boisterous or rowdy personality.

Some of the earliest recorded references to the surname Rowdy can be found in parish records and court documents from the late 16th and early 17th centuries. For example, a William Rowdy is mentioned in the records of the Court of Chancery in 1598. Another early record is of a John Rowdy, who was baptized in the parish of St. Giles Cripplegate, London, in 1621.

In terms of notable individuals with the surname Rowdy, one of the earliest was Thomas Rowdy, a merchant and ship owner who lived in the late 17th century. He is mentioned in several historical records related to maritime trade in the Port of London.

Another noteworthy individual was James Rowdy (1712-1786), a British architect who was active in the mid-18th century. He is known for his work on several churches and country houses in the English Midlands.

In the 19th century, Henry Rowdy (1836-1912) was a prominent British industrialist and philanthropist. He made his fortune in the coal mining industry and later donated a significant portion of his wealth to various charitable causes.

Moving into the 20th century, one notable figure with the surname Rowdy was Sir Arthur Rowdy (1879-1958), a British diplomat who served as ambassador to several countries, including the United States and the Soviet Union.

Finally, in more recent times, there was Eileen Rowdy (1919-2002), an American author and educator who wrote several books on children's literature and storytelling.

While the surname Rowdy is not exceptionally common, it has a long and interesting history, with notable bearers of the name appearing in various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rowdy

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

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 Rowdy 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.

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 Rowdy was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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