The Rowan surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 13,993 people carried this name — #2,581 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 21,100 people counted. That is up 1% from 13,803 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Rowan surname

Anglicised from the Irish saints' name Ruadhán (“little red one”), or as a surname from Ó Ruadháin (“descendant of Ruadhán”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Rowan» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘at the rowan’.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 656 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 27 births for the Rowan name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,200 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The count includes the spelling Roughan.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 11
Leinster 7
Connacht 5
Munster 4

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 28 people named Rowan live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 28

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Scotland’s registers today

Rowan was recorded 38 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 672nd most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 48. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

49 families named Rowan, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 252 people lived in those households, 5.1 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 9 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 16
New York 8
South Carolina 8
Maryland 7
North Carolina 5
New Hampshire 2
Massachusetts 1
Connecticut 1
Virginia 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 260 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Rowan in American newspapers,
1909–1921.

Newspaper page from The Randall County News carrying the name Rowan
The Randall County News 1909-07-16
Newspaper page from The Columbus Dispatch carrying the name Rowan
The Columbus Dispatch 1921-01-30
Newspaper page from The Montgomery Advertiser carrying the name Rowan
The Montgomery Advertiser 1910-03-03

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 2,709 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Rowan in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2010s.

49,778 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Rowan. The most, 9,881, date from the 1900s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 2.2 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 25,068
New South Wales 11,058
South Australia 6,048
Queensland 4,328
Western Australia 2,446
Tasmania 536
ACT (Canberra) 203
Northern Territory 20

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Rowan.

Who carried it

People named Rowan,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Archibald Hamilton Rowan
    Archibald Hamilton Rowan 1751–1834
  • Jerome Rowan d. 1740
  • John Rowan d. 2023 · musician
  • Lawrence C. Rowan d. 2010 · geologist
  • Andrew Rowan 1639–1717
  • Mary Rowan 1698–1738

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Rowan,
in the records of 10 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States2,402 records

2,402 records of the Rowan name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 781
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 500
  • Other U.S. records 1,121
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Jack Rowan

    Born 1917 in California. Enlisted 1941 at Los Angeles; filling station attendant. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1955, buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Rebecca Rowan

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Teutonic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 40; servant. From Clare, Ireland; bound for Brooklyn.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Joseph T. Rowan

    Born 1933; from Clay County, Florida. U.S. Army, light weapons infantry leader; killed in action 1952 in North Korea.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 2,402 records for Rowan in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia965 records

965 records of the Rowan name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 589
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 196
  • Other Australian records 180
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Mary Rowan

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1854. Married 1854 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 21.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Peter Rowan

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Roslin Castle, arriving 1833; ticket of leave 1837.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Andr Rowan

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Australia, aged 27; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 965 records for Rowan in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Belgium68 records

68 records of the Rowan name in Belgium
  • Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 67
  • Belgian population registers 1
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Edouard Rowan

    In the population register of Aalst; priest, born 1823 in Kilkenny Irlande.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Aalst (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Joannes Rowan

    Died 1938 in Gent.

    Open Archives, Archief Gent (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Joannes Gerardus Rowan

    Died 1882 in Meerbeke.

    Open Archives, Erfgoedcel Denderland (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 68 records for Rowan in Belgium.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada65 records

65 records of the Rowan name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 13
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 12
  • Other Canadian records 40
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Rowan

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Canadian, landing at Quebec, bound for Parry Sound, Ontario; Scotch.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Alice Ada Rowan

    Buried in 1992 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 80.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Thomas Anton Rowan

    Buried in 1969 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 69.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 65 records for Rowan in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom22 records

22 records of the Rowan name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 9
  • Stirling Council burial records 9
  • Other British records 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Helena Connal Rowan

    Died 1975, aged 88; buried at Gargunnock Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Robert Rowan

    Killed or died by 1920. Named in the roll of honour of the pupils and staff of Dunfermline High School (1920).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Rowan

    Royal Scots Fusiliers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 22 records for Rowan in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand13 records

13 records of the Rowan name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 8
  • Timaru and Mackenzie District cemetery records 3
  • Other New Zealand records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mariau Rowan

    Died 1908, aged 43; buried at Addington Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Rex Instone Rowan

    Died 1978, aged 60; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 13 records for Rowan in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Norway6 records

6 records of the Rowan name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Patrick Rowan

    Census of 1910: Storgate, Sandnes; "spindemester", born 1874 in England.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Annie Rowan

    Census of 1910: Storgate, Sandnes; born 1901 in England.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 2 of 6 records for Rowan in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Netherlands5 records

5 records of the Rowan name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 3
  • Dutch population registers 1
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Anne Rowan

    Married in 1819 in Naarden.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Catherin Rowan

    Married in 1725 in Rotterdam; born in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Rowan in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Ireland4 records

4 records of the Rowan name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Martin Rowan

    Died 1954, aged 77; buried at Carraroe, Williamstown, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Michael Rowan

    Died 1994, aged 78; buried at Carraroe, Williamstown, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Rowan in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France2 records

2 records of the Rowan name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record David Anthony Rowan

    Born 1938 in the United Kingdom; died 1989 in Crozon (Finistère).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Rowan in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Rowan.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Rowan is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Rowan volume
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