Rowland Family Tree

Background of Rowland/Roland name: This name is not unusual, in all of
Europe. In its different forms, it is present in almost, if not all countries of
Europe. Its origin may not be unusual in many of its forms IE. Roland,
common in France and England; Orlando, common in Italian areas;
Rolando, common in Spanish/Portuguese areas; Rolland, common in
German areas. This version is thought to have spread from the name of
the famous Paladin/Knight of Charlemagne (Charles I) the first Holy Roman
Emperor 800-814 AD, and King of the Franks. Roland/Orlando was famous
for his strength, courage and chivalrous spirit as well as his famous horn.
From the 9th century, a time before surnames, men begin to name their
new born sons after famous men. The name Roland/Orlando/Rolando
symbolized all the strength and heroic, gallant, fighting defender of the
"faith" that a proud father could bestow on his son. It is certain that the
Roland/Orlando version of the name entered England on, or shortly after
1066 AD, and the Norman conquest of England. I’m sure the proud
Frank/Viking followers of William the Conqueror used the name
commonly. It must be remembered that the Franks were not "French", as
we now consider them. The Franks were a mixture of pre-Gallic and
Germanic people, and the Normans were a mixture of Viking/
Scandinavian/ Danish people who, after invading and settling the

Normandy region of France, and adopting the French court language as their own, they then
intermarried with the local Franks etc., before attacking and defeating the army of the Angle,
Saxon, Briton, Celtic, Roman defenders of England. While I don’t claim to be a expert on names, I
do feel that "Rowland", (the Rowland name spelling, most common in England) may be older than
the Roland name of the Norman invaders. Its roots may be in old Germanic names like Rollander,
Rulland, Reiland, Riland, Rohland, Rolant etc., or even rooted in ancient Celtic. Of course the
name of Charlemagne’s famous Knight Roland/Orlando may also be of the same background, so, all
things considered, the name may be the same anyway. Hope you enjoyed my rambling about the
name. According to a company called "The Hall of Names" copyright 1984-89, (The Hall of Names
Inc.) The following is a history of the Rowland name in Great Briton. Few areas in Briton have
produced as many notable families in world history such as the names Armstrong, Nixon, Graham,
Bell, Carson, Hume, Irving, Lock, and Rutherford of the Border region of England and Scotland. The
family name Rowland is included in this group. Researchers have confirmed the first documented
history of this name in lowland Scotland and northern England, tracing it through many ancient
manuscripts, including private collections of historical and genealogical records, the Inquisito, the
Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, the Ragman Rolls, the Hearth Rolls, The Domesday Book, parish
cartularies, baptismals, and tax rolls. The first record of the name Rowland was found in Ayrshire,
where they were seated from early times and their first records appeared on the early census
rolls, taken by early Kings of Scotland, to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.
Different spellings of the name were found in the archives researched, typically linking each
alternate to the root source of the surname. The surname Rowland, occurred in many references,
from time to time the surname was spelled Rolland, Roland, Rowland, Rowlands, Rowlandson,
Rolan, Rollands, and the changes in spelling frequently occurred, even between father and son.
Scribes and church officials recorded the name from its sound. The family name Rowland is
believed to be descended, originally, from the Strathclyde Britons. This ancient founding race
from the north were a mixture of Gaelic/Celts, whose ancient original territories tanged from
Lancashire, in the south, northward to the south bank of the River Clyde in Scotland. Tracing its
ancient development, the name Rowland was found in Ayrshire, where they were recorded as a
family of great antiquity, who were descended from Gilbert, Lord of Galloway, originally of
Fergus, who invaded Galloway in 1184. He was murdered by his brother Uchtred, whose son
Roland possessed himself of all Galloway, supported by King Wiliam the Lyon of Scotland and King
Henry of England. (Note: this usage of Roland is certainly related to the Norman conquest, and
Norman names) Roland, Lord of Galloway, was made constable of Scotland in 1196. His son Alan
married Margaret, daughter of King David of Scotland. Gilbert and John Rolland of Ayrshire
rendered homage to King Edward of England on his brief conquest of Scotland in 1296. Maternally
they became affiliated with the Farguarson Clan. They acquired the lands of Auchmithie and
Craignytie. By the 16th century many of the family had moved south into England, into
Shrewsbury, Sussex, where they held Saxonbury Lodge, and into Surrey. Notable amongst the
family at that time was Rolland of Auchmithie. By whatever reason the name Rowland/Rolland
because of the ascendency of the Norman conquerors, became interchangeable in England. I
believe the Rowland spelling was kept by the older families to distinguish them from the Normans.
In any event the problems numerous Kings of England had with Scotland and the border clans led to
many invasions and changes of loyalties among the residents of the border areas. The Rowlands
were involved in this conflict. In 1603, the unified English and Scottish crowns, under James I,
dispensed these "unruly border clans", clans which had served loyally in the defense of each side.
The unification of the governments was threatened and it was imperative that the old "border
code" should be broken up. Hence the "Border Clans" were banished to England, northern Scotland
and to Ireland, the colonies and the "new world". In North America, some of the first migrants
which could be considered kinsman of the family name Rowland and their spelling variants were
Francis Roland, settled Virginia in 1656; ....John Rollands arrived in Virginia in 1653; Daniel
Rowland settled in Virginia in 1653; John Rowland settled in Virginia in 1635; Lewis Rowland settled
in Virginia in 1663.....The most ancient grant of a Coat of Arms found was: Gold with a red lion
rampant.