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

Rowland, 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 Rowland surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rowland in America

Rowland is the 993rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rowland surname appeared 35,121 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 12 people would have the surname Rowland.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rowland 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 Rowland

The surname Rowland has its origins in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French personal name Rollant, which itself comes from the Germanic name Rodland or Rowland, meaning "famous land" or "renowned land." The name was brought to England by the Normans after their conquest in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Rowland surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. Entries in the Domesday Book mention individuals with the surname, indicating its presence in the country during that period.

In the 13th century, the name Rowland was found in various records, including the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which listed individuals with the surname in counties such as Oxfordshire and Warwickshire. The surname also appeared in the Rotuli Hundredorum of 1279, a record of landowners and tenants in England.

During the 14th century, the name Rowland was associated with several notable individuals. One such person was Sir Hugh Rowland, a knight who fought in the Battle of Crécy in 1346 during the Hundred Years' War. Another was John Rowland, a member of the English Parliament who represented Shropshire in 1377.

In the 15th century, the surname Rowland was found in various locations across England, including in the villages of Rowland's Castle in Hampshire and Rowland's Green in Worcestershire, which may have derived their names from individuals bearing the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Rowland throughout history include:

1. John Rowland (c. 1470-1543), an English clergyman and academic who served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford.
2. David Rowland (c. 1550-1644), a Welsh clergyman and author who wrote a treatise on the Welsh language.
3. William Rowland (1617-1668), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Ipswich during the English Civil War.
4. Henry Augustus Rowland (1848-1901), an American physicist and the first president of the American Physical Society.
5. Walter Rowland (1892-1957), an English cricketer who played for Middlesex County Cricket Club in the early 20th century.

The surname Rowland has endured throughout the centuries and can be found in various parts of the world, reflecting the migrations and settlements of individuals bearing this name over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rowland

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

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

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

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