NameCensus.

UK surname

Rowatt

A derivation of the Scottish name Rowat, of uncertain origin but possibly associated with cattle herding.

In the 1881 census there were 135 people recorded with the Rowatt surname, ranking it #16,515 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 127, ranked #26,566, down from #16,515 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, New Monkland and Redruth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Greenend and Carnbroe, South Kesteven and Muirhouse and Knowetop.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rowatt is 195 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.9%.

1881 census count

135

Ranked #16,515

Modern count

127

2016, ranked #26,566

Peak year

1901

195 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rowatt had 135 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,515 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016, ranked #26,566.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 195 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Rowatt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rowatt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rowatt 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 71 #20,875
1861 historical 89 #22,419
1881 historical 135 #16,515
1891 historical 153 #18,078
1901 historical 195 #15,380
1911 historical 33 #29,703
1997 modern 129 #23,143
1998 modern 136 #23,013
1999 modern 141 #22,702
2000 modern 133 #23,462
2001 modern 128 #23,665
2002 modern 129 #24,021
2003 modern 134 #23,260
2004 modern 127 #24,224
2005 modern 130 #23,848
2006 modern 130 #24,053
2007 modern 135 #23,824
2008 modern 140 #23,511
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 140 #24,569
2011 modern 137 #24,716
2012 modern 141 #24,258
2013 modern 136 #25,252
2014 modern 131 #26,089
2015 modern 128 #26,356
2016 modern 127 #26,566

Geography

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Where Rowatts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, New Monkland, Redruth, Hawick and Wilton and Govan Combination. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Greenend and Carnbroe, South Kesteven, Muirhouse and Knowetop, Bellshill South and Kingston upon Thames. 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 Hamilton Lanark
2 New Monkland Lanark
3 Redruth Cornwall
4 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
5 Govan Combination Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Greenend and Carnbroe North Lanarkshire
2 South Kesteven 016 South Kesteven
3 Muirhouse and Knowetop North Lanarkshire
4 Bellshill South North Lanarkshire
5 Kingston upon Thames 017 Kingston upon Thames

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rowatt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rowatt

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rowatt, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Rowatt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Rowatt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Rowatt is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rowatt is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rowatt falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rowatt is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Rowatt

The surname Rowatt is believed to have originated in Scotland, with roots tracing back to the 13th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "row," meaning a row or line, and the Scottish word "att," meaning a homestead or dwelling place, suggesting the name may have referred to a house or settlement situated in a row or line.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Rowatt can be found in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls from the late 13th century, where it appears as "Rowath." This indicates that the name was present in Scotland during that period.

In the 15th century, the surname Rowatt appeared in various Scottish records, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where it was spelled "Rowat" and "Rowate." These variations in spelling were common during that time, as spelling conventions were not yet standardized.

The name Rowatt has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was Sir William Rowatt (c. 1520-1598), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Justice Clerk of Scotland from 1587 until his death.

Another prominent figure with the surname Rowatt was John Rowatt (c. 1568-1642), a Scottish minister and academic who served as Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1616 to 1642.

In the 17th century, the Rowatt surname was found in various Scottish parishes, including Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, and Lanarkshire. One notable individual from this period was William Rowatt (c. 1670-1735), a Scottish merchant and landowner who owned estates in Ayrshire.

During the 18th century, the surname Rowatt continued to appear in Scottish records, with some individuals bearing the name migrating to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. One such person was Robert Rowatt (1736-1801), a Scottish-born merchant and plantation owner who settled in Jamaica.

In the 19th century, the Rowatt surname spread further afield, with individuals bearing the name found in various parts of the world, including North America and Australia. One notable figure from this period was John Rowatt (1814-1891), a Scottish-born farmer and businessman who emigrated to Canada and became a prominent citizen in the town of Guelph, Ontario.

Throughout its history, the surname Rowatt has maintained a strong presence in Scotland, with various branches of the family still residing in the country today. While not an exceedingly common name, it has left its mark on Scottish history and culture, with its origins reflecting the linguistic and geographic influences that shaped the development of Scottish surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rowatt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rowatt 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. Lanarkshire leads with 70 Rowatts recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.32x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 70 16.32x
Ayrshire 15 15.11x
Roxburghshire 12 49.94x
Dunbartonshire 10 28.05x
Northumberland 8 4.05x
Lancashire 7 0.44x
Cornwall 5 3.33x
Buteshire 3 37.31x
Argyllshire 1 2.71x
Dumfriesshire 1 3.41x
Midlothian 1 0.56x
Perthshire 1 1.68x
Royal Navy 1 6.33x
Surrey 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hamilton in Lanarkshire leads with 18 Rowatts recorded in 1881 and an index of 150.38x.

Place Total Index
Hamilton 18 150.38x
Hawick 12 223.05x
Govan 10 9.42x
Barony 9 8.29x
Irvine 9 326.09x
Byker 8 81.97x
Old Monkland 8 46.98x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 56.00x
Bothwell 7 60.19x
Kirkintilloch 7 144.63x
Glassford 6 909.09x
New Monkland 5 39.43x
Glasgow 4 5.25x
Illogan 4 100.50x
Cumbernauld 3 153.85x
Cumbrae 3 352.94x
Dundonald 3 81.97x
Largs 3 128.21x
Avondale 2 79.68x
Cadder 1 31.55x
Campbeltown 1 22.47x
Durrisdeer 1 200.00x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.40x
Kingston On Thames 1 6.44x
Lecropt 1 357.14x
Redruth 1 23.53x
Royal Navy 1 7.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 2
Marion 2
Abigail 1
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Bella 1
Isabella 1
Mary 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 3
David 2
John 2
Charles 1
James 1
Richard 1
Robert 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Rowatt households.

FAQ

Rowatt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rowatt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 135 people were recorded with the Rowatt surname. That placed it at #16,515 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rowatt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016. That gives Rowatt a modern rank of #26,566.

What does the Rowatt surname mean?

A derivation of the Scottish name Rowat, of uncertain origin but possibly associated with cattle herding.

What does the Rowatt map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rowatt 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.