Explore the Family Name Rowland
The meaning of Rowland
1. 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 778 AD. 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. 2. 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). 3. English: in northern England and perhaps elsewhere, perhaps a post-medieval variant of Rawling. Compare Rawlinson, Rollinson. 4. English: perhaps also a variant of Rolling 2 with -land substituted for -ling. 5. Altered form of German Roland.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Rowland in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the Rowland surname slightly fluctuated between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 925th in popularity but dropped to 993rd by 2010, marking a decrease of 7.35%. However, despite this drop in rank, the actual count of people with the Rowland surname increased by 1.81% from 34,498 to 35,121. The relative proportion per 100k also saw a decrease of 6.88%, moving from 12.79 to 11.91.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #925 | #993 | -7.35% |
| Count | 34,498 | 35,121 | 1.81% |
| Proportion per 100k | 12.79 | 11.91 | -6.88% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rowland
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census indicates diverse ethnic identities associated with the Rowland surname. While the dominant ethnicity remains White at 86.60% in 2010 (a slight decrease from 88.72% in 2000), other ethnicities have seen growth. The Hispanic identity saw the most significant increase, rising by 67.57% between 2000 and 2010. The Asian/Pacific Islander identity also saw a respectable rise of 27.66%. Individuals identifying as Two or more races grew by 37.23%, while the Black identity experienced a modest growth of 6.46%. The American Indian and Alaskan Native identity showed minimal change, increasing by only 3.03%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 88.72% | 86.6% | -2.39% |
| Black | 6.97% | 7.42% | 6.46% |
| Hispanic | 1.48% | 2.48% | 67.57% |
| Two or More Races | 1.37% | 1.88% | 37.23% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.99% | 1.02% | 3.03% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.47% | 0.6% | 27.66% |
Rowland ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Rowland is British & Irish, which comprises 59.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.3%) and Scandinavian (3.5%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 59.0% |
| French & German | 22.3% |
| Scandinavian | 3.5% |
| Other | 15.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Rowland
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Rowland have recent ancestry locations in United Kingdom and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 91.60% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 91.60% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 91.60% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 91.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 91.30% |
What Rowland haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Rowland is G-S18765, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup G-S18765 is descended from haplogroup G-M201. Other common haplogroups include R-L1066.1 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Lewis, Evans, Davis, Thomas, Chapman, Matthews, Morris, Phillips, Williams, Jones.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Rowland surname are: T2b, H, H1. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins G-M201
Your paternal lineage may be linked to Ötzi the Iceman
Ötzi the Iceman was discovered in 1991, protruding from a snow-bank high in the Alps near the Austrian-Italian border. His 5,300-year-old remains turned out to be so well preserved that researchers were able to construct a detailed account of his life and death. Chemical analysis of Ötzi's teeth indicates he came from the Italian side of the Alps. He had suffered during the year before his death with whipworm, a stomach parasite that was found in his digestive tract. Yet he was fit enough to climb 6,500 feet in elevation during the day or two before he met his end in a rocky alpine hollow. Ötzi apparently was murdered, struck by a stone arrow point that was found lodged in his left shoulder. The twisted position of his body indicates that the murderer, or one of his accomplices, pulled the arrow's shaft out of Ötzi's prone body.Yet whoever killed Ötzi did not take the valuable and finely wrought copper axe that he carried with him — an indicator that at the age of 45, the Ice Man may have been a figure of some importance in his community. Recently, scientists who were able to extract DNA from Ötzi's remains discovered that he belonged to a paternal lineage that stems from haplogroup G-M201. Today, Ötzi's lineage reaches its highest levels in Sardinia and Corsica, and was once common among early European farmers.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Rowland have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Rowland" Surname 42.6%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Rowland" Surname 29.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Rowland" Surname 26.4%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Rowland" Surname 18.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Rowland?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Rowland are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition