Surname Rowberry - Meaning and Origin

Rowberry: What does the surname Rowberry mean?

Rowberry is an English surname of medieval origins. It is thought to derive from a now-lost place possibly named Rorebi, composed of two Old Norse elements: "ra" meaning "roe deer" and "byr", a farm or settlement. Thus, the name roughly translates to "dwelling or settlement where roe deer are found." As with many surnames of this era, spellings over centuries have significantly varied based on phonetic interpretations. Variations of Rowberry include Rowbury, Rouberry, and Ruberry among others. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Richard de Rorebi in the Assize Court Rolls of Worcestershire in England in 1221. Therefore, individuals with the last name Rowberry could potentially trace their ancestry back to residents of this lost location in medieval England.

Rowberry: Where does the name Rowberry come from?

The Rowberry surname originated in England and is most commonly found in the United Kingdom. There are also various pockets of the name in other countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United States.

In the U.K., Rowberry is most commonly found in the historic county of Lancashire. It is estimated that over half of all people with the last name Rowberry currently live in the Lancashire area. The town of Preston, located in Lancashire, is home to the highest concentration of the surname Rowberry.

Rowberry is also found in other parts of England such as in London and in various East Anglian counties like Suffolk and Norfolk as well as in Wales. Across the pond, people with the surname Rowberry can most commonly be found in the U.S. states of New York, California, and Pennsylvania. It is likely that many of the Rowberrys in the U.S. descended from English settlers who emigrated to America in the late 1800s.

People with the last name Rowberry may also be found in other countries around the world. Canada, Australia, Ireland, South Africa, and New Zealand all have populations of people with the surname Rowberry.

No matter where they live in the world, people with the Rowberry surname can typically trace their ancestry back to England, with perhaps some ancestry from other parts of the British Isles.

Variations of the surname Rowberry

The surname Rowberry is most commonly spelled as such, but there are several other variations or related surnames which have the same origin.

Rowberry is an English surname likely derived from Old English 'wulf' meaning 'wolf' and 'burh' meaning 'fortress'. This Anglo-Saxon name suggests that an early ancestor was associated with a wolf den or fortress. Other variants of the Rowberry surname include Rowbrugh, Rowburg, Rowburge, Rowburrow, Rouburg, Rubury, and Roubry. There are also several Americanized forms of the surname such as Rowbary, Rowbury, or Rowboro.

In addition to the aforementioned spellings, the surname Rowberry can also be found in other parts of the world under various variants. In Russia, the surname may be found spelled as RavBro, Ravkova or Ravkov; in Romania, the surname may be spelled as Rabucea, Rabosu or Rabuţă; and in Germany, the surname can be found as Rauber.

There are also surnames related to Rowberry which have different origins and meanings. Examples include Rombough, Rumbaugh, Ruble, Redbourn and Reddington.

Overall, the surname Rowberry is a distinctive English surname originating in Old English, with many spelling variations stemming from the transformation of language over the centuries.

Famous people with the name Rowberry

• Dominic Rowberry, English Institute of Sport athlete and Connect Sport Hub Manager.
• William Rowberry, British theatre actor, singer, dancer, and voiceover artist.
• Alice Rowberry, Australian–British political campaigner and consultant whose work focuses on human rights and the environment.
• John Rowberry, English artist, photographer, collagist and, most recently, 3D sculptor.
• Ed Rowberry, Welsh entrepreneur and business mentor.
• Liz Rowberry, British television presenter and journalist.
• Robert Rowberry, British Army veteran and business leader.
• Ella Rowberry, British singer/songwriter, musician and sound engineer.
• Pete Rowberry, English professional squash player who twice won squash World Open.
• Sarah Rowberry, New Zealand international netballer who plays for the Northern Mystics in the ANZ Championship.

Other surnames

Rowbery