Contents [hide]

Rowan History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Rowan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Rowan family

The surname Rowan was first found in East Galway (Irish: Gaillimh) part of the province of Connacht, located on the west coast of the Island, where they were a sept of the Ui Maine. The name is derived from the Irish and Gaelic Ruadhan (dh mute)-ruadh, which means red or red-haired. 1

The progenitor of the Rowan family is Felix O'Ruadháin, Archbishop of Tuam, an Irish prelate at the Lateran Council in Rome in 1215. 2

Early History of the Rowan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rowan research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1564, 1751 and 1834 are included under the topic Early Rowan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rowan Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Roan, Rohan, Roohan, Ruane, Ruane, O Rouine, Rogan, O Rogan, Rowan and many more.

Early Notables of the Rowan family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

and, later, Archibald Hamilton Rowan (1751-1834) of the United Irishmen

Rowan Ranking

In the United States, the name Rowan is the 2,029^th most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Rowan family to Ireland

Some of the Rowan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rowan migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rowan Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Margaret Rowan, who arrived in New Jersey in 1685 4

Rowan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Matthew Rowan, who landed in Cape Fear, North Carolina in 1739 4
John Rowan, who landed in North Carolina in 1747 4
Margaret Rowan, who settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1767 with her husband Robert

Rowan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Rowan, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1816 4
Mary Rowan, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 4
Samuel Rowan, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1826 4
Maurice Rowan, aged 21, who arrived in New York in 1854 4
Andrew, Denis, Edmond, Henry, James, John, Patrick, Thomas, and William Rowan all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1870

Rowan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rowan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

James Rowan, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Dorcas Savage" from Belfast, Ireland
Mr. Luke Rowan, aged 30 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "John Munn" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in September 1847 5
Mr. Michael Rowan, aged 30 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "James Moran" departing 22nd May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 11th July 1847 but he died on board 6
Mr. Thomas Rowan, aged 19 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Emigrant" departing 11th August 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 3rd October 1847 but he died on board 6

Rowan migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Rowan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Michael Rowan, English convict from London, who was transported aboard the "Anson" on September 23, 1843, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 7
Mr. Michael Rowan, (b. 1822), aged 22, Irish farmer who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Cadet" on 9th April 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
Miss Mary Ann Rowan, (b. 1831), aged 20, Irish house maid who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Blackfriar" on 24th January 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
Anne Rowan, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Condor" in 1851 10
Thomas Rowan, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Condor" in 1851 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Rowan migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Rowan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. John Rowan, (b. 1825), aged 49, Scottish powerloom manager, from Lanark travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 31st December 1874 11
Mrs. Agnes Rowan, (b. 1827), aged 47, Scottish settler, from Lanark travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 31st December 1874 11
Miss Jane Rowan, (b. 1847), aged 27, Scottish seamstress, from Lanark travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 31st December 1874 11
Miss Ann Rowan, (b. 1849), aged 25, Scottish weaver, from Lanark travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 31st December 1874 11
Miss Betsy Rowan, (b. 1853), aged 21, Scottish weaver, from Lanark travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 31st December 1874 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Rowan (post 1700) +

Henry Rowan (1923-2015), American philanthropist and engineer, eponym of Rowan University, New Jersey
Brigadier-General Hugh Williamson Rowan (1894-1973), American Chemical Officer US European Theater of Operations (1942-1945) 12
Matthew Rowan (d. 1760), American politician, acting Colonial Governor of North Carolina from 1753 to 1754
Louis R. Rowan (1911-1988), American businessman and Thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder
Daniel Hale "Dan" Rowan (1922-1987), American Primetime Emmy Award winning comedian, best known for his work on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Stephen Clegg Rowan (1805-1890), Irish-born, American admiral in the United States Navy who served during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War, eponym of the USS Rowan, a torpedo boat, USS Rowan (DD-782), and the USS Rowan (DD-405), destroyers
Carl T Rowan (b. 1925), American journalist and author, U.S. ambassador to Finland (1963-1964)
Andrew Summers Rowan (1857-1943), American Army officer who served as the liaison between the United States and Cuban rebels led by General Calixto García during the Spanish American War 13
Peter Rowan (b. 1942), American bluegrass, country musician
Carl Thomas Rowan (1925-2000), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to Finland, 1963-64 14
... (Another 32 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Rowan family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. William Henry Rowan, British Assistant Steward from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 15

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Fred Rowan, Irish Fireman from Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 16

The Rowan Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Cresco per crucem
Motto Translation: I increase by the cross

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 54)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 94)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Anson voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1843 with 499 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/anson/1843
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cadet/
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blackfriar
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CONDOR 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Condor.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2014, March 26) Hugh Rowan. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Rowan/Hugh_Williamson/USA.html
Andrew Rowan. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Andrew Rowan. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Summers_Rowan
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/