Rowley Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Rowley last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Rowley last name
Meaning of the Rowley last name: rough clearing. Rowley is an English surname from places in Staffordshire, Yorkshire and Durham, from Old English ruh, "rough", and leah, "clearing". Rowley Regis is near Birmingham. William Rowley wrote plays with Middleton, and Rowley Mile is a racecourse at Newmarket. The last name is common in the Midlands.
Arms associated with the Rowley name
Heraldry associated with the Rowley surname uses a few strong colours, and each coat of arms has its own blazon.
Get your full Rowley family history
This is only a glimpse of the Rowley story. The full Rowley history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Rowley coat of arms. Get the full Rowley report.
Rowley name FAQ
What does the Rowley name mean?
Rough clearing. Common variants include Rowly.
Where does the Rowley surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Rowley coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Rowley coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).