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Rowland Family History

Rowland Surname Meaning

English: from the Middle English and Old French personal name Rollant Rolant Rolent Roulent (ancient Germanic Hrodland Rodland from hrōd ‘glory’ + land ‘land’) introduced into England by the Normans. It was made famous by French romances about Roland, the most famous of the peers of Charlemagne who was killed at Roncesvalles in AD 778. Although widely used across post-Conquest England (along with Oliver, the name of Roland's companion), it seems to have been restricted to particular gentry families and was never popular. Compare Roland.

English: habitational name from Rowland (Derbyshire) or Rowland Wood in Slinfold (Sussex). The Derbyshire placename derives from Old Norse rá ‘roe roe buck’ or rá ‘land mark boundary’ + lúndr ‘small wood grove’. The Sussex placename probably derives from Middle English roughe ‘rough’ + lond ‘land’ (Old English rūh land).

English: in northern England and perhaps elsewhere, perhaps a post-medieval variant of Rawling. Compare Rawlinson Rollinson.

English: perhaps also a variant of Rolling 2 with -land substituted for -ling. Altered form of German Roland.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

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Where is the Rowland family from?

You can see how Rowland families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rowland family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rowland families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,238 Rowland families living in London. This was about 13% of all the recorded Rowland's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Rowland families in 1891.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rowland surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

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What did your Rowland ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for Rowland | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations In 1939

General Labourer
7%
Builders Labourer
3%
Farmer
3%
Bricklayer
3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

Unpaid Domestic Duties
69%
Housewife
3%
Unpaid Domestic
2%
Incapacitated
2%

What Rowland family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 321,000 census records available for the last name Rowland. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rowland census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 27,000 immigration records available for the last name Rowland. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 44,000 military records available for the last name Rowland. For the veterans among your Rowland ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Rowland lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Rowland life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Rowland in 1943 was 43, and 72 in 2004.

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