Show ContentsRowett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Rowett family

The surname Rowett was first found in Somerset, where a Norman noble was granted lands by his liege Lord, William, Duke of Normandy. They branched north to Scotland where typically many Norman nobles were granted lands by the Scottish monarch.

Early History of the Rowett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rowett research. Another 152 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1513, 1554, 1585, 1600, 1606, 1740 and 1768 are included under the topic Early Rowett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rowett Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Roatt, Roat, Roett, Roet, Rowat, Rowatt, Rowet, Rowett, Rouet, Rouett and many more.

Early Notables of the Rowett family

Notable among the family at this time was

  • Rowett of Auchindonan


United States Rowett migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rowett Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John George Rowett, who landed in New York in 1824 1
  • J Q Rowett, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 1
Rowett Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. John Rowett, (b. 1872), aged 28, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 15th April 1900 en route to Ishpeming, Michigan, USA 2
  • Mr. Robert Rowett, (b. 1866), aged 34, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 29th January 1900 en route to New York, USA 2
  • Mr. James Rowett, (b. 1846), aged 58, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 18th September 1904 en route to California, USA 2
  • Mr. James Rowett, (b. 1880), aged 25, Cornish miner, from Redruth, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Campania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 22nd July 1905 en route to Michigan, USA 2

Australia Rowett migration to Australia +

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

Rowett Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Rowett, English convict who was convicted in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 27th May 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3
  • Mr. William Rowett, (b. 1824), aged 33, Cornish carpenter travelling aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 22nd January 1857 4

New Zealand Rowett 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:

  • Mr. Edward Rowett, (b. 1852), aged 22, Cornish farm labourer departing on 4th December 1874 aboard the ship "Wellington" going to Bluff or Otago, New Zealand arriving in port on 19th February 1875 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Rowett (post 1700) +

  • Richard Rowett (1830-1887), English-born, American Civil War hero, known as captain of Company K of the Seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, the first unit from Illinois to answer President Abraham Lincoln's call for volunteers
  • Richard Rowett, British businessman and member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, HSBC Chairman (1871-1872)
  • Henry Rowett, English amateur cricketer who played for Surrey during the 1760s
  • John Quiller Rowett (1876-1924), British businessman and philanthropist, the sole financial backer for his schoolfriend Shackleton on his final Antarctic voyage named the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition
  • Gary Rowett (b. 1974), English professional football player
  • Geoffrey Charles Rowett, Chief Executive Officer, The Charterhouse Group


The Rowett 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: Quaerere verum
Motto Translation: To seek the truth.


  1. 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)
  2. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 18th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone
  4. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1850_59.pdf
  5. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to other ports, 1872 - 84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf


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