NameCensus.

UK surname

Rowan

Derived from the Irish surname Ó Ruadháin, meaning "descendant of Ruadhán," a personal name meaning "red-haired" or "ruddy."

In the 1881 census there were 1,928 people recorded with the Rowan surname, ranking it #2,266 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,061, ranked #1,669, up from #2,266 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Greenock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Liverpool, Doon Valley South and Drongan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rowan is 4,152 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 110.6%.

1881 census count

1,928

Ranked #2,266

Modern count

4,061

2016, ranked #1,669

Peak year

2010

4,152 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rowan had 1,928 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,266 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,061 in 2016, ranked #1,669.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,370 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Rowan surname distribution map

The map shows where the Rowan surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Rowan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rowan over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 840 #3,231
1861 historical 1,137 #2,473
1881 historical 1,928 #2,266
1891 historical 1,987 #2,322
1901 historical 2,370 #2,290
1911 historical 1,566 #3,098
1997 modern 3,872 #1,678
1998 modern 3,987 #1,696
1999 modern 3,995 #1,707
2000 modern 3,946 #1,719
2001 modern 3,856 #1,716
2002 modern 3,923 #1,728
2003 modern 3,863 #1,716
2004 modern 3,904 #1,701
2005 modern 3,863 #1,688
2006 modern 3,884 #1,676
2007 modern 3,967 #1,660
2008 modern 4,011 #1,649
2009 modern 4,090 #1,661
2010 modern 4,152 #1,673
2011 modern 4,097 #1,667
2012 modern 4,019 #1,672
2013 modern 4,091 #1,678
2014 modern 4,146 #1,660
2015 modern 4,101 #1,664
2016 modern 4,061 #1,669

Geography

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Where Rowans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Greenock, Glasgow and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Liverpool, Doon Valley South and Drongan. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Greenock Renfrew
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Liverpool 044 Liverpool
2 Doon Valley South East Ayrshire
3 Drongan East Ayrshire
4 Liverpool 050 Liverpool
5 Liverpool 058 Liverpool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rowan

These lists show first names that appear often with the Rowan surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rowan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rowan, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Rowan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Rowan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rowan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rowan is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rowan falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rowan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Rowan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rowan

The surname Rowan originated in Scotland, derived from the Gaelic word "rodhann" meaning a little rose or a rowan tree. It is believed to have been first used as a surname in the 12th century, referring to someone who lived near a rowan tree or a place where rowan trees grew abundantly.

The earliest recorded mention of the name Rowan can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One of the entries mentions "Thomas de Rouan," indicating the presence of the name in Scotland during that time period.

In the 14th century, the Rowan family held lands in the Scottish counties of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. The name Rowan is also associated with the village of Rowan in Lanarkshire, Scotland, suggesting that some individuals may have taken the name from their place of residence.

One notable figure with the surname Rowan was Archibald Hamilton Rowan (1751-1834), an Irish politician and revolutionary who campaigned for Catholic emancipation and Irish independence. He was convicted of sedition in 1794 but later pardoned and spent several years in exile in the United States.

Another prominent individual was Andrew Summers Rowan (1857-1943), a British Army officer who served in the Second Boer War and later became the Governor of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) from 1924 to 1927.

In the literary world, there was Stephen Rowan (1924-1994), an Irish poet and playwright who gained recognition for his works exploring themes of identity and Irish culture.

Andrew Rowan (1918-2001) was a Scottish actor known for his roles in films such as "The Mouse That Roared" and "The Dam Busters."

Elizabeth Rowan Hamilton (1758-1816) was an Irish writer and intellectual who played a significant role in the Irish Patriotic movement and was a close friend of the philosopher William Godwin.

While the surname Rowan has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Scottish emigration and settlement. The name continues to be associated with its historical connections to the rowan tree and its Scottish heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rowan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rowan surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 358 Rowans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.60x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 358 1.60x
Lanarkshire 308 5.06x
Ayrshire 236 16.77x
Yorkshire 213 1.14x
Renfrewshire 132 9.06x
Middlesex 84 0.45x
Durham 62 1.11x
Argyllshire 60 11.46x
Surrey 50 0.55x
Angus 46 2.64x
Midlothian 40 1.59x
Staffordshire 40 0.63x
Northumberland 30 1.07x
Kirkcudbrightshire 29 10.65x
Warwickshire 22 0.46x
Cheshire 21 0.51x
Kent 20 0.31x
Stirlingshire 18 2.59x
Derbyshire 17 0.58x
Dumfriesshire 13 3.13x
Leicestershire 13 0.62x
Wigtownshire 12 4.81x
Cumberland 11 0.68x
Hampshire 11 0.29x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.52x
Dunbartonshire 9 1.78x
Essex 6 0.16x
Somerset 6 0.20x
Fife 5 0.45x
Perthshire 5 0.59x
East Lothian 4 1.61x
Worcestershire 4 0.16x
Buteshire 3 2.63x
Hertfordshire 3 0.23x
Royal Navy 3 1.34x
Sutherland 3 2.07x
Westmorland 3 0.73x
Isle of Man 2 0.57x
Sussex 2 0.06x
Berkshire 1 0.07x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.13x
Channel Islands 1 0.18x
Denbighshire 1 0.14x
Devon 1 0.03x
Dorset 1 0.08x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x
Inverness-shire 1 0.18x
Lincolnshire 1 0.03x
Norfolk 1 0.03x
Northamptonshire 1 0.06x
Orkney 1 0.48x
Roxburghshire 1 0.29x
Selkirkshire 1 0.59x
Shropshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 121 Rowans recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.86x.

Place Total Index
Barony 121 7.86x
Govan 91 6.05x
Liverpool 89 6.57x
West Greenock 43 16.44x
Dundee 42 6.46x
Girvan 33 93.41x
St Quivox 31 65.14x
Toxteth Park 28 3.71x
Hamilton 25 14.74x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 24 2.37x
York St George 24 163.49x
Sheffield 23 3.88x
Abbey 22 9.89x
Kilmarnock 22 13.13x
Wardleworth 22 17.25x
Wolverhampton 22 4.51x
Gateshead 21 5.01x
East Greenock 20 14.53x
Lambeth 20 1.22x
Bradford 19 4.21x
Lismore Appin 19 109.07x
Birmingham 17 1.08x
Renfrew 17 35.32x
Ashton Under Lyne 16 3.28x
Bury 16 6.28x
Warrington 16 6.05x
Ayr 15 22.58x
Glasgow 15 1.39x
St Pancras London 15 0.99x
Sculcoates 14 4.74x
Straiton 14 175.00x
Colmonell 13 91.87x
Heworth 13 11.79x
Leeds 13 1.24x
Muirkirk 12 36.31x
Camberwell 11 0.92x
Cambusnethan 11 8.14x
Gorton 11 5.24x
Horton In Bradford 11 3.78x
Kilmore Kilbride 11 33.10x
Maryhill 11 9.24x
Northowram 11 8.42x
Sorn 11 39.78x
Stirling 11 12.58x
York St Denis In 11 134.64x
Dewsbury 10 5.23x
Leicester St Margaret 10 1.97x
Maybole 10 23.33x
Aberdeen Old Machar 9 2.47x
Blackburn 9 1.52x
Bothwell 9 5.46x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 2.54x
Dalserf 9 14.83x
Keighley 9 4.53x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 9 5.39x
Paisley High Church 9 7.76x
Castleton 8 3.59x
Everton 8 1.12x
Hackney London 8 0.76x
Handsworth 8 5.11x
Haslingden 8 8.66x
Kirkoswald 8 69.63x
Pendleton In Salford 8 3.01x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 8 16.75x
Rerrick 8 68.49x
Sanquhar 8 54.79x
Walsall Foreign 8 2.44x
Ardrossan 7 14.37x
Bradford 7 6.70x
Claylane 7 17.10x
Dailly 7 48.75x
Dalavich 7 482.76x
Ecclesall Bierlow 7 1.85x
Eccleston In Prescot 7 6.25x
Holy Trinity 7 1.56x
Inverkip 7 20.38x
Longbenton 7 5.91x
Newchurch 7 3.83x
Stevenston 7 19.08x
Westoe 7 2.21x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Rowan surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 88
Bridget 29
Ellen 28
Catherine 26
Margaret 25
Elizabeth 23
Ann 21
Sarah 21
Jane 20
Annie 14
Alice 11
Eliza 10
Anne 9
Kate 9
Emily 8
Fanny 7
Winifred 6
Agnes 5
Hannah 5
Catharine 4
Emma 4
Isabella 4
Maria 4
Amy 3
Esther 3
Florence 3
Janet 3
Jessie 3
Susannah 3
Adelaide 2
Anna 2
Cathrine 2
Clara 2
Elizth. 2
Flora 2
Gertrude 2
Lydia 2
Maggie 2
Marget 2
Margret 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Bridgit 1
Eliz.J. 1
Elizath. 1
Elizth 1
Isabel 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Rowan surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 105
James 48
Thomas 47
Patrick 39
William 38
Michael 22
Edward 16
Robert 11
Alfred 9
Peter 9
Martin 8
Henry 7
Joseph 7
Hugh 6
Charles 5
Dennis 5
George 5
Anthony 4
Arthur 4
Samuel 4
Thos. 4
Walter 4
Daniel 3
Frederick 3
Fredk. 3
Harry 3
Albert 2
Andrew 2
Aymous 2
Bernard 2
Chas. 2
David 2
Dominick 2
Fenwick 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Luke 2
Melville 2
Richard 2
Tom 2
Willie 2
Wm. 2
Archd.A. 1
Cameron 1
E.P. 1
Edgar 1
Eric 1
Ernest 1

FAQ

Rowan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rowan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,928 people were recorded with the Rowan surname. That placed it at #2,266 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rowan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,061 in 2016. That gives Rowan a modern rank of #1,669.

What does the Rowan surname mean?

Derived from the Irish surname Ó Ruadháin, meaning "descendant of Ruadhán," a personal name meaning "red-haired" or "ruddy."

What does the Rowan map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rowan bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.