Surname Rowlands - Meaning and Origin

Rowlands: What does the surname Rowlands mean?

The surname Rowlands is of Welsh origin and is a patronymic form of the personal name "Rhawland," itself derived from the elements "Rhaw," which means "a spear," and "land," meaning "territory" or "domain." Thus, the literal meaning of Rowlands can be interpreted as 'territory of the spear' or 'domain of the spear.' This suggests that the original bearers of the surname were likely warrior-chieftains or military leaders. It was customary in many Welsh cultures to use a father’s given name as a surname for his children. Thus, the name Rowlands may have been originally used to indicate 'son of Rhawland'. Gruffydd Rhydderch, a 12th-century Welsh prince, had a son named Rhawland, one of the earliest recorded bearers of this given name. The surname Rowlands developed and was adopted in different forms in various regions of Wales and has undergone various spelling transitions throughout history, including Rowland, Roland, Rolant, and Rollings, among others. Famous people with the surname Rowlands include American actress Gena Rowlands and British film director and producer Johnny Rowlands.

Rowlands: Where does the name Rowlands come from?

The last name Rowlands is quite common in many parts of the world today. In England, Rowlands is the 387th most commonly used surname, according to the 2020 Office for National Statistics survey. The name is especially popular in and around North Wales, where it is the 122nd most common surname today.

Rowlands is also a popular name in Scotland, where it is the 246th most commonly used surname. It is especially common in South Ayrshire, where it is the 56th most common name. The name is also found in Northern Ireland, where it is the 357th most popular surname.

In the United States, Rowlands is the 3,804th most commonly used surname. It is especially popular in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, where it is the 160th, 412th, and 668th most common surname, respectively. The name is also found in Canada, where it is the 793rd most common name.

Rowlands is likely derived from the first name Roland, which has origins from the Germanic element Hrod, which means glory and fame. The landmarks of England and Scotland, such as Rowland's Castle in Hampshire and Rowlands Castle in West Sussex, may have played a part in the ancient popularity of the name.

Variations of the surname Rowlands

The surname Rowlands is a patronymic/patronymic surname, which means that it is derived from a given name of a father or other relative. Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin as Rowlands include:

- Rawlings

- Rawlins

- Rollins

- Rolland

- Rolands

- Rowlandson

- Rowlandes

- Roelands

- Rollin

- Rolin

- Rudland

- Rudlandson

Rowlands is an Anglo-Saxon and Welsh patronymic surname derived from the given name “Rol(e)and”. This name likely derived from the Old German personal name “Hroland,” composed of the Old German elements “hrod” meaning “fame” and “land” which means “land.” It is fascinating to note that the name likely made its way to Britain due to the spread of Christianity as “Roland” is a French variant of the Germanic name associated with the paladin of the Charlemagne legend. The name was subsequently adopted by Welsh speakers as their own celticized variation of the name as evidenced by the earliest recorded spelling of the name, “Rolandus” on a pipe roll in the county of Berkshire, England in the year 1273.

Variations of the name Rowlands have frequently been recorded since the mid-13th century, with some notable variant spellings including Rowlandson in 1609, Rollin in 1616 and Rawlings in 1637.

Famous people with the name Rowlands

• Gena Rowlands: Actor, Director and Screenwriter
• John Rowlands: Welsh Explorer
• Jon Rowlands: Rugby Football Player
• Marcus Rowlands: British Film Director
• Megan Rowlands: Voice Actress
• Robert Rowlands: Marine Biologist
• Titus Rowlands: British Politician
• David Rowlands: Welsh Politician
• Lee Rowlands: Paralympic Cyclist
• Leonard Rowlands: British Naval Officer
• Sylvanus Rowlands: British Poet
• Simon Rowlands: Author
• David Williams Rowlands: Mathematician
• John Rowlands: American Entrepreneur
• Charles Rowlands: Composer
• Harry Rowlands: Australian Politician
• John Williams Rowlands: Engineer

Other surnames

Rowland