Surname Rowles - Meaning and Origin
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Rowles: What does the surname Rowles mean?
The surname Rowles is of Old Norse origin, derived from the personal name "Rolf". The name is a diminutive of "Hrolfr", composed of 'Hro', meaning famous, and 'Ulf', meaning wolf. Therefore, the last name Rowles translates to "Famous Wolf." It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest in 1066 when many Scandinavian names entered the English vernacular. Over time, it evolved into different forms, including Rowles, Rowlson, and Rowling. Like many surnames, Rowles can offer clues to the family's geographic origin, profession, or a characteristic of an ancestor. In this case, it possibly refers to an ancestor who was known for their strength or valor, akin to a wolf. However, meanings of surnames should be considered interpretive as they do not always hold true to every family line.
Order DNA origin analysisRowles: Where does the name Rowles come from?
The last name Rowles is primarily found in the United Kingdom. It is most prevalent in England, where it was still the 365th most common surname as recently as 2015. Research suggests that the surname could also have stemmed from an area of France known as Rouelle.
Rowles could have derived from a number of other sources, such as the place-name Rowe or Rowley, or have been an altered form of the surname Roles, which refers to someone who worked as a ringer or bellman. The presence of such a surname in Britain is a result of the Norman Conquest, when surnames began to be adopted for tax records and other records of a similar nature.
The surname Rowles outside of the UK is found in small numbers in the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, and other countries in western Europe. Although its presence in these countries may be sparse, there are people with the surname scattered around the globe, and more and more people today are using the name, even if not necessarily of British descent.
In recent decades, the surname Rowles has also been modified in some cases. For example, the spelling of the surname may have been changed to Rowles (with an added “s”), Rowls, Rollins, or even Rowell. The range of spelling variations suggests that there is great diversity in this surname today.
Variations of the surname Rowles
The surname Rowles is derived from the Old English word “Hroela” which means “rower” or “seaman”. It is a patronymic surname, meaning it was originally formed from the given name of a father or ancestor. The variants and spellings of this surname include Rowles, Rolles, Rowls, Roles, Rowlese, Rouls, Rolls and Rollesby.
In addition, other variants and spellings of the Rowles surname include Rowl, Rowlis, Rouls, Roulse, Rulyes, Rule, Rulee, Ruleis, Rull, Rulles, Ryle, and Ryles.
The surnames of the same origin for the Rowles surname include Roll, Rollesby, Rollin, Rollins, Rollo, Rolle, Rolleston, and Rollett.
The surnames have also changed over time. For example, if your ancestor was named “Robert de Rolles” in the Middle Ages, his descendants could have adopted the name “Rowles” in the 15th century, and the surname may have continued changing over the course of many generations.
The Rowles surname originated in the United Kingdom, but can be found in other regions across the globe. In America, the surname was carried to the east coast by immigrants from England in the 1600s, and later spread to the Midwest and Southern US in the 19th century. The Rowles surname can also be found in Canada, Australia, as well as Europe and Africa.
Today, variants of the surname Rowles are still widely used in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and other regions, and continue to be traced back to their early origins in the Middle Ages.
Famous people with the name Rowles
- Robbie Rowles: Australian rugby union footballer
- Nicknamed 'Rowsy' he played domestically for Manly, the Warringah Rats, Sydney Stars and the Brumbies.
- Keith Rowles: British musician, most notably, a bass guitarist for the 1960s band The Attack
- Annie Rowles: American actress best known for her recurring role as Mrs. Byrne in Joint Custody
- Laurie Rowles: British actor known for her performance in Cabaret
- Harry Rowles: Australian gang leader in the 1800s
- Scott Rowles: British billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist
- Kim Rowles: English professional football referee and the current head of refereeing for the Football Association of Ireland
- John Rowles: Kiwi New Zealand singer, songwriter and is considered one of the country's most successful and popular musical acts of all time
- Kelly Rowles: Australian distance runner, world record-holder in the 3000 metres steeplechase, four-time World Championship medallist