Rowton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Rowton comes from when the family resided in Roydon, places found in Essex and Norfolk. The place-name Roydon is derived from the Old English elements rygen, which means rye, and dun, which means hill. The place-name as a whole translates as "hill where rye is grown." Roydon in Essex was recorded in the Domesday Book as Ruindune; Roydon in Norfolk was recorded in that document as Regadona. The Domesday Book was a survey of England ordered by King WIlliam the Conqueror, the first Norman King of England, in 1086. It was used to reassess the Danegeld (the tax system in place at the time) and as a reference for the settlement of property disputes.

Early Origins of the Rowton family

The surname Rowton was first found in Suffolk but other branches of the family were located elsewhere. By example, Rowton is a small village located seven miles north of Wellington, Shropshire. It dates back to at least the Domesday Book where it was recorded as Rugheton. 1

The Battle of Rowton Heath was fought between the forces of the parliament and those of King Charles on 24 September 1645 during the English Civil War.

"On Rowton Heath was fought the important battle between the forces of the parliament and those of King Charles, which proved so fatal to the brave Earl of Lichfield, and so disastrous to his royal master; here, also, the Cheshire gentry assembled and declared for a free parliament, on the attempt of Sir George Booth to restore Charles II., in 1659." 2

Rowton Castle is a Grade II listed country house near Shrewsbury in Shropshire. The present castle was built in the 17th century, although a previous castle named Rowton Castle had stood on the site for several hundred years previously. As of 1986, it has been a luxury hotel.

Early History of the Rowton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rowton research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1580, 1583, 1610, 1614, 1622 and 1646 are included under the topic Early Rowton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rowton Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Rowton include Royden, Roydon, Rowton, Rowden and others.

Early Notables of the Rowton family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Marmaduke Roydon (1583-1646), English merchant-adventurer, son of Ralph Roydon or Rawdon of Rawden Brandesby in Yorkshire. At sixteen years of age he went to London, where he was apprenticed to Daniel Hall, a Bordeaux merchant, who sent him as his factor to France. He returned to London about 1610 and was elected a common councilman. Soon afterwards he was presented with the freedom of the Clothworkers' Company, and made captain of the city...
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rowton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rowton migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Rowton Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Rich Rowton, aged 36, who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Susan and Ellin", bound for Lynn, MA 3
Mrs. Ann Rowton, aged 36, who landed in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Susan and Ellin", bound for Lynn, MA 4
Mr. Edmond Rowton, aged 6, who landed in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Susan and Ellin", bound for Lynn, MA 4

Rowton Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Alfred Rowton, aged 10, who landed in America from Llandudno, Wales, in 1907
Clare Rowton, aged 30, who immigrated to America from Llandudno, Wales, in 1907
James Rowton, aged 25, who landed in America from Llandudno, Wales, in 1907
Leda Rowton, aged 27, who immigrated to the United States from Maidenhead, England, in 1923

Contemporary Notables of the name Rowton (post 1700) +

Jan Rowton, American costume designer, known for his work on Night of the Demons (1988), After Midnight (1989) and Demon Wind (1990)

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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)
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm