NameCensus.

UK surname

Rowlands

A toponymic surname indicating someone from the region of Roland, Normandy or any of several places called Rowland.

In the 1881 census there were 7,438 people recorded with the Rowlands surname, ranking it #572 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 11,426, ranked #566, up from #572 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Merthyr Tydfil and Holyhead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gwynedd and Isle of Anglesey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rowlands is 11,956 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.6%.

1881 census count

7,438

Ranked #572

Modern count

11,426

2016, ranked #566

Peak year

2010

11,956 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rowlands had 7,438 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #572 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 11,426 in 2016, ranked #566.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 10,226 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rowlands surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rowlands surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rowlands 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 3,670 #775
1861 historical 4,069 #687
1881 historical 7,438 #572
1891 historical 7,660 #587
1901 historical 9,766 #538
1911 historical 10,226 #480
1997 modern 11,208 #545
1998 modern 11,639 #544
1999 modern 11,836 #542
2000 modern 11,794 #539
2001 modern 11,461 #542
2002 modern 11,621 #546
2003 modern 11,452 #542
2004 modern 11,491 #541
2005 modern 11,285 #546
2006 modern 11,342 #545
2007 modern 11,425 #546
2008 modern 11,489 #545
2009 modern 11,751 #548
2010 modern 11,956 #554
2011 modern 11,761 #557
2012 modern 11,450 #560
2013 modern 11,587 #561
2014 modern 11,658 #562
2015 modern 11,499 #565
2016 modern 11,426 #566

Geography

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Where Rowlands' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Merthyr Tydfil, Holyhead, Llanddeiniolen and Aberdare. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gwynedd and Isle of Anglesey. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
3 Holyhead Anglesey
4 Llanddeiniolen Carnarvonshire
5 Aberdare Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gwynedd 015 Gwynedd
2 Isle of Anglesey 001 Isle of Anglesey
3 Isle of Anglesey 006 Isle of Anglesey
4 Isle of Anglesey 005 Isle of Anglesey
5 Isle of Anglesey 002 Isle of Anglesey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rowlands

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rowlands

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Rowlands surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rowlands 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Rowlands is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Rowlands 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

Rowlands falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rowlands is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Rowlands

The surname ROWLANDS has its origins in Wales, deriving from the Welsh personal name Rhosyn, which means "rose". It is believed to have emerged as a hereditary surname during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century.

ROWLANDS is a patronymic surname, meaning it was originally formed by adding the possessive suffix "-s" to the personal name Rhosyn. This was a common practice in Wales, where surnames were often derived from the given names of fathers or ancestors.

Early examples of the name can be found in various historical records, such as the Merionethshire Subsidy Rolls of 1292-1293, where it appears as "Rosyn". It is also recorded in the Anglesey Subsidy Roll of 1352 as "Rosyn ap Iorverthap".

The name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Rosyn ap Gwilym, a Welsh poet who lived in the late 14th century and is known for his works in the cywydd meter.

Another prominent figure with the surname ROWLANDS was Daniel Rowlands (1713-1790), a Welsh Methodist minister and renowned preacher who played a significant role in the Welsh Methodist Revival of the 18th century.

In literature, Henry Rowlands (1655-1723) was a Welsh poet and writer who authored the satirical work "Mona Antiqua Restaurata" (1723), which criticized the antiquarian work of Henry Rowlands (1624-1690), an English writer and clergyman.

The name has also been associated with notable figures in politics and public service. David Rowlands (1782-1835) was a Welsh politician and Member of Parliament for Monmouthshire from 1820 to 1835.

In the field of science, William Rowlands (1860-1924) was a Welsh chemist and mineralogist who made significant contributions to the study of minerals and their crystallographic properties.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the surname ROWLANDS throughout history, demonstrating its deep roots and wide-ranging influence across various fields and disciplines.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rowlands families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rowlands 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. Glamorgan leads with 1,013 Rowlands' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.99x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 1,013 7.99x
Anglesey 769 59.63x
Caernarfonshire 761 25.86x
Lancashire 726 0.84x
Montgomeryshire 519 31.12x
Merionethshire 497 37.32x
Cardiganshire 385 21.69x
Monmouthshire 372 7.07x
Flintshire 269 13.75x
Cheshire 267 1.66x
Shropshire 263 4.18x
Pembrokeshire 254 10.98x
Denbighshire 176 6.40x
Carmarthenshire 155 5.05x
Middlesex 149 0.20x
Durham 117 0.54x
Staffordshire 110 0.45x
Yorkshire 89 0.12x
Warwickshire 73 0.40x
Brecknockshire 56 3.85x
Gloucestershire 50 0.35x
Devon 47 0.31x
Surrey 41 0.12x
Herefordshire 36 1.21x
Northumberland 32 0.30x
Worcestershire 32 0.34x
Radnorshire 23 3.92x
Cumberland 20 0.32x
Kent 18 0.07x
Derbyshire 16 0.14x
Hampshire 16 0.11x
Cornwall 14 0.17x
Sussex 13 0.11x
Wiltshire 11 0.17x
Berkshire 9 0.16x
Midlothian 9 0.09x
Somerset 9 0.08x
Norfolk 8 0.07x
Bedfordshire 6 0.16x
Lincolnshire 4 0.03x
Dorset 3 0.06x
Leicestershire 3 0.04x
Essex 2 0.01x
Royal Navy 2 0.23x
Argyllshire 1 0.05x
Banffshire 1 0.07x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.02x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.02x
Channel Islands 1 0.05x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.17x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.05x
Hertfordshire 1 0.02x
Kincardineshire 1 0.11x
Lanarkshire 1 0.00x
Northamptonshire 1 0.01x
Oxfordshire 1 0.02x
Renfrewshire 1 0.02x
Ross-shire 1 0.05x
Suffolk 1 0.01x
Westmorland 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. Aberdare in Glamorgan leads with 162 Rowlands' recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.62x.

Place Total Index
Aberdare 162 18.62x
Merthyr Tydfil 122 10.02x
Liverpool 113 2.15x
Llanddeiniolen 113 65.69x
Festiniog 106 37.73x
Everton 105 3.82x
Holyhead 105 43.67x
Bangor 104 36.65x
Ystradyfodwg 98 8.82x
Toxteth Park 94 3.21x
West Derby 88 3.48x
Amlwch 86 70.85x
Eglwysilan 76 34.57x
Mold 76 42.83x
Llanllechid 75 36.25x
Llanbeblig 74 24.78x
Mynyddyslwyn 67 32.28x
Llantrisant 66 20.67x
Llanfor 64 174.29x
Hawarden 60 39.04x
Bedwellty 59 6.35x
Swansea Town 51 4.91x
Machynlleth 50 83.04x
Llanelly 49 7.09x
Llanycil 49 68.45x
Whitchurch 46 67.12x
Llanaelhaiarn 44 121.41x
Caron Ys Clawdd 43 99.68x
Conway 42 73.72x
Llanwonno 40 8.79x
Stranton 37 5.08x
Cwmrheidol 36 127.12x
Mold Bistree 36 113.17x
Pool 35 27.83x
Salford 35 1.38x
Towyn 35 41.78x
St Woollos 34 5.79x
Chester St Oswald 33 11.34x
Aston 31 0.61x
Birkenhead 31 2.42x
Much Wenlock 31 53.46x
Gelligaer 30 10.37x
Trewalchmai 30 156.17x
Llanidloes 29 23.46x
Aberystruth 28 6.04x
Llanrug 28 36.33x
Llanuwchllyn 28 104.28x
St Davids 28 53.50x
Cardigan St Mary 27 39.71x
Hulme 27 1.50x
Llaniestyn 27 296.05x
Neath Upper 27 81.55x
Aberystwith 26 17.02x
Islington London 26 0.37x
Cardiff St Mary 25 3.58x
Llanrhyddlad 25 158.53x
Nevin 25 50.06x
Talyllyn 25 47.99x
Tref Eglwys 25 54.96x
Trevethin 25 5.03x
Kirkdale 24 1.65x
Llangollen Cysyllte 24 133.78x
Roath 24 4.17x
Ardwick 23 2.95x
Llangefni 23 59.03x
Llechylched 23 160.61x
Penrhoslligwy 23 239.83x
Tranmere 23 3.90x
Llansamlet Lower 22 19.18x
Penegoes 22 89.39x
Shrewsbury St Mary 22 8.87x
Darowen 21 86.38x
Llanfihangel Y Croyddyn 21 33.67x
Llantwit Vairdre 21 14.75x
Manchester 21 0.54x
Middlesbrough 21 2.24x
Wolverhampton 21 1.11x
Denio 20 29.06x
Lambeth 20 0.32x
Llanfair Mathafarn 20 118.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 666
Elizabeth 412
Jane 265
Margaret 260
Sarah 254
Ann 189
Ellen 147
Anne 133
Catherine 122
Martha 79
Hannah 66
Annie 65
Eliza 61
Alice 37
Cathrine 35
Emma 31
Harriet 29
Emily 27
Margret 24
Eleanor 23
Grace 23
Edith 22
Esther 21
Maria 20
Charlotte 19
Elizth. 19
Ellin 18
Frances 18
Margt. 18
Rachel 18
Caroline 17
Fanny 16
Florence 15
Kate 14
Rebecca 14
Ada 13
Louisa 13
Catharine 11
Amelia 10
Dorothy 10
Gwen 10
Matilda 10
Sophia 10
Susannah 10
Ruth 9
Clara 8
Laura 8
Lizzie 8
Winifred 8
Gwenllian 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 652
William 470
Thomas 344
David 242
Richard 179
Edward 140
Robert 128
James 97
Hugh 86
Evan 81
George 81
Owen 80
Henry 72
Rowland 58
Joseph 56
Charles 55
Daniel 55
Lewis 33
Alfred 29
Samuel 28
Edwin 20
Arthur 19
Benjamin 18
Griffith 16
Walter 16
Wm. 16
Albert 15
Francis 14
Isaac 14
Morris 14
Thos. 14
Ellis 13
Rees 13
Moses 12
Richd. 12
Ernest 10
Frederick 10
Morgan 9
Chas. 8
Geo. 8
Harry 8
Robt. 8
Edmund 7
Percy 7
Abraham 6
Herbert 6
Matthew 6
Peter 6
Adam 5
Dd. 5

FAQ

Rowlands surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rowlands surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,438 people were recorded with the Rowlands surname. That placed it at #572 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rowlands surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 11,426 in 2016. That gives Rowlands a modern rank of #566.

What does the Rowlands surname mean?

A toponymic surname indicating someone from the region of Roland, Normandy or any of several places called Rowland.

What does the Rowlands map show?

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