2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Rowells
A surname possibly derived from a place name referring to a row or line of houses or dwellings.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Rowells. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rowells 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.
Bearers in the US
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Rowells in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rowells, the largest self-reported group is White at 50.5%. The next largest groups are Black (45.7%) and Hispanic (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rowells
The surname "ROWELLS" is believed to have originated in England, possibly as early as the 12th century. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name that has since become obsolete or has evolved into a different form over time.
One theory suggests that the name may have originated from a place called "Rowe" or "Rowe's Hill," with the suffix "-ell" indicating a diminutive form, meaning "little Rowe." This type of name formation was common in medieval England, particularly in regions like Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, where many place names and surnames were derived from topographical features or landowners' names.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname "ROWELLS" can be traced back to the late 13th century. In 1273, a document from the County of Essex mentions a person named "William de Rowelle." This suggests that the name may have been established in the eastern regions of England before spreading to other parts of the country.
Another notable reference to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279, where a "Roger de Rouwelle" is listed. This record provides an alternative spelling variation, further indicating the name's early presence in medieval England.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname "ROWELLS" was John Rowells, who was born in Oxfordshire around 1520. He is recorded as having served as a member of the English Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the late 16th century.
In the 17th century, a prominent figure bearing the name was Sir Samuel Rowells (1618-1687), an English lawyer and politician who served as Solicitor General and Attorney General during the reign of King Charles II. He played a significant role in the prosecution of several high-profile cases during the turbulent period following the English Civil War.
Another notable individual was Robert Rowells (1773-1843), a British explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively in South America and the West Indies. He documented numerous plant and animal species and made significant contributions to the field of natural history during the early 19th century.
In the literary realm, Edith Rowells (1892-1964) was a renowned English novelist and playwright. She is best known for her novels "The Constant Nymph" and "The Invisible Wall," which explored themes of love, family dynamics, and social commentary in early 20th century Britain.
Lastly, Sir William Rowells (1910-1995) was a prominent British businessman and philanthropist. He served as the chairman of the multinational corporation Rowells Industries and was widely recognized for his charitable work, particularly his support for educational institutions and medical research.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rowells
Among Census respondents with the surname Rowells, the largest self-reported group is White at 50.5%. The next largest groups are Black (45.7%) and Hispanic (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Rowells 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 Rowells surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White50.5% · 53
- Black or African American45.7% · 48
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rowells
Rowells appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-4 bearers (-3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,256 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+1 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,055 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.7%) | Down 14,256 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+1.0%) | Up 3,055 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 Rowells 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 | #156,044 | #152,989 | 2.0% |
| Count | 104 | 105 | 1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rowells bearers went from 104 to 105 (+1.0% change). The surname moved up 3,055 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #152,989.
FAQ
Rowells surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rowells?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Rowells. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Rowells?
Rowells ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Rowells. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Rowells.
Has Rowells become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rowells went from 104 recorded bearers to 105. That is an increase of 1 (+1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Rowells?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rowells, the largest self-reported group is White at 50.5%. The next largest groups are Black (45.7%) and Hispanic (3.8%). 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 Rowells in the 2020 Census, accounting for 50.5% (53 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rowells appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (50.5%), Black (45.7%), Hispanic (3.8%). 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 Rowells (2000, 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 Rowells mean?
A surname possibly derived from a place name referring to a row or line of houses or dwellings. 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 Rowells (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 Americans have the surname Rowells?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.