2000
#93,427
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 182
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.07
Very Rare Last name
Rowney
An English surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone who lived in a rowdy or unruly area.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 195 Americans carry the last name Rowney. That puts it at #110,517 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,757,715 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rowney surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Rowney with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
195
1 in 1,757,715
Census rank
#110,517
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
170
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 170 bearers of the surname Rowney in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 110517th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rowney, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.3%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rowney
The surname Rowney is believed to have originated in England, with its roots tracing back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English word "ruh," meaning rough or rugged, and "ing," signifying a place or settlement. The name likely referred to someone who resided in a rugged or hilly area.
During the Middle Ages, the name Rowney was prevalent in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. The earliest known record of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Ruhening" or "Rueing."
One notable historical figure bearing the surname Rowney was Sir William Rowney (1460-1536), a prominent English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1522. He played a significant role in the city's affairs and was known for his philanthropic endeavors.
Another remarkable individual was John Rowney (1568-1633), a celebrated English composer and musician. His works, including madrigals and sacred music, were highly regarded during the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras.
In the 18th century, the name Rowney gained prominence through the achievements of Thomas Rowney (1712-1784), an influential English artist and art supplier. He established the renowned Rowney art materials company, which continues to be a leading brand in the art supplies industry to this day.
The name Rowney has also been associated with places such as Rowney Green, a village in Worcestershire, and Rowney Abbey, a former monastic site in Hertfordshire. These locations likely derived their names from early settlers bearing the Rowney surname.
One of the most prominent figures with the Rowney surname was Sir Thomas Rowney (1857-1927), a distinguished British naval officer and author. He served in the Royal Navy for over four decades and was knighted for his distinguished service during World War I.
Throughout history, the surname Rowney has been recorded with various spellings, including Rouney, Rougney, Rownay, and Rownee, reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations. Despite its relatively uncommon nature, the name Rowney has left a lasting mark on various aspects of British history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rowney
Among Census respondents with the surname Rowney, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.3%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Rowney bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Rowney surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 158
- Hispanic or Latino5.3% · 9
- Two or more races1.2% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rowney
Rowney appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#107,669
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 165
-17 bearers (-9.3%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 14,242 places
2020
#110,517
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 170
+5 bearers (+3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 2,848 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #93,427 | 182 | 0.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #107,669 | 165 | 0.06 | -17 bearers (-9.3%) | Down 14,242 places |
| 2020 | #110,517 | 170 | 0.06 | +5 bearers (+3.0%) | Down 2,848 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Rowney surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #107,669 | #110,517 | -2.6% |
| Count | 165 | 170 | 3.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.06 | -5.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rowney bearers went from 165 to 170 (+3.0% change). The surname moved down 2,848 positions in the national ranking, going from #107,669 to #110,517.
FAQ
Rowney surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rowney?
Name Census estimates that about 195 living Americans carry the surname Rowney. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,757,715 residents.
How common is Rowney?
Rowney ranks #110,517 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 170 people with the surname Rowney. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (195), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Rowney.
Has Rowney become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rowney went from 165 recorded bearers to 170. That is an increase of 5 (+3.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #107,669 to #110,517.
What does the Census say about the background of Rowney?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rowney, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.3%) and Two or More Races (1.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Rowney in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (158 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rowney appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Hispanic (5.3%), Two or More Races (1.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Rowney (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Rowney mean?
An English surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone who lived in a rowdy or unruly area. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Rowney (0.06 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Rowney?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.