Rowlands History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Early Origins of the Rowlands family
The surname Rowlands was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Scotland to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.
Richard Rollison is the fictional wealthy bachelor living in a Mayfair flat at 22 Gresham Terrace, nicknamed the Toff, by John Creasey (1908-1973) in his 60 Toff adevntures.
Early History of the Rowlands family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rowlands research. Another 139 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1184, 1196, 1296, 1555 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Rowlands History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Rowlands Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Rolland, Roland, Rowland, Rowlands, Rowlandson, Rolan and many more.
Early Notables of the Rowlands family
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rowlands Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Rowlands Ranking
In the United States, the name Rowlands is the 13,934th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in the United Kingdom, the name Rowlands is ranked the 552nd most popular surname with an estimated 11,750 people with that name. 2
Migration of the Rowlands family to Ireland
Some of the Rowlands family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 66 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Rowlands migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Rowlands Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- James Rowlands, who settled in New England in 1774
- James Rowlands, aged 29, who landed in New England in 1774 3
Rowlands Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Thomas Rowlands, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1856 3
Rowlands migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Rowlands Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Rowlands Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Mr. Scarth Rowlands, British convict who was convicted in Sadberge, Durham, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Competitor"18th March 1823, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5
- Edward Rowlands, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Seppings" in 1839 6
- John Rowlands, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Orleana" in 1840 7
- Daniel Rowlands, aged 35, a shepherd, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "Stag" 8
- Mr. William Rowlands, Welsh convict who was convicted in Cardiff, Wales for life, transported aboard the "Clara" on 28th January 1864, arriving in Western Australia, Australia 9
Rowlands 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:
Rowlands Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Mr. Joseph Rowlands, (b. 1852), aged 22, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Peter Denny" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 26th July 1874 10
- Mr. Thomas Rowlands, (b. 1853), aged 24, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Oamaru" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 13th January 1878, for Bluff 10
- Thomas Rowlands, aged 24, a farm labourer, who arrived in Bluff, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oamaru" in 1878
- J. Rowlands, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Tongariro" in 1888
Contemporary Notables of the name Rowlands (post 1700) +
- Gena Rowlands (b. 1930), American actress of film, stage and television
- Clive Rowlands OBE (1938-2023), Welsh rugby union footballer and coach
- John Rowlands (1841-1904), birth name of Sir Henry Morton Stanley GCB, a Welsh explorer, journalist, soldier, colonial administrator, author and politician, famous for his exploration of Central Africa and his search for missionary and explorer David Livingstone
- Gregory David "Greg" Rowlands (1947-2021), New Zealand rugby union player, member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, on their 1976 tour of South America
- John Rowlands (1947-2020), English professional footballer who played 399 matches as a defender and a forward
- Dafydd Rowlands (1931-2001), Welsh Congregational minister, lecturer, writer and poet
- William Rowlands (1802-1865), known as Gwylym Lleyn, Welsh bibliographer, son of Thomas and Eleanor Rowlands, born at Bryn Croes, Carnarvonshire
- Daneil Rowlands (1713-1790), Welsh Methodist minister, born at Pantybeudy, in the parish of Nantcwnlle, Cardiganshire, second son of the Rev. Daniel Rowlands, rector of Llangeitho and Nantcwnlle
- June Rowlands (1925-2017), née Pendock, Canadian politician, 60th Mayor of Toronto, Ontario (1991-1994)
- Air Marshal John Samuel Rowlands GC, KBE (1915-2006), British Air Force officer awarded the George Cross for his work in bomb disposal
- ... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Historic Events for the Rowlands family +
- Mr. Joseph Samuel Rowlands, British Fireman from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 11
- Mr. Daniel J Rowlands (b. 1921), English Marine serving for the Royal Marine from Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 13
- Mr. Alfred Rowlands, British Stoker 2ne Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 14
HMS Royal Oak
- Stanley Rowlands, British Marine with the Royal Marine aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 15
North Sea Flood
- A. P. Rowlands, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953
Senghenydd colliery
- Mr. Edward Rowlands (b. 1865), Welsh coal miner from Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died
- Mr. Evan Thomas Rowlands (b. 1893), Welsh coal miner from Abertridwr, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died
- Mr. John Rowlands (b. 1874), Welsh coal miner from Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died
- Mr. Samuel Rowlands (b. 1885), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died
- Mr. William Rowlands (b. 1854), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died
Citations +
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
- 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)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/competitor
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SEPPINGS 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Seppings.htm
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ORLEANA 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Orleana.htm
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) STAG 1850. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Stag.htm
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clara
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
- HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
- H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
- HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
- Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html