Surname Rouw - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'R'
Rouw: What does the surname Rouw mean?
Rouw is a surname of Dutch origin. In Dutch, the word "rouw" directly translates to "mourning" or "grief" in English. However, it's important to note that surnames often originated from professions, geographical locations, or personal characteristics, so the literal translation might not provide accurate insight into its historical meaning or origin. Like many other surnames, Rouw could also possibly refer to an ancestral town or region, a person's occupation, or a nickname given to an ancestor, among other possibilities. Many Dutch surnames were also standardized only in the early 19th century, meaning that they could have undergone changes in spelling, phonetics, or meaning over time. Therefore, while the current definition of "rouw" in Dutch is related to sadness, the surname Rouw may have a different or more complex historical provenance. As with all names, the specific family history and individual context add layers of significant, personal meaning as well.
Order DNA origin analysisRouw: Where does the name Rouw come from?
The surname Rouw is most commonly found today in the Netherlands, particularly in the provinces of Zeeland, Noord-Holland, and Utrecht. It may also be found in small numbers in surrounding countries such as Belgium and Germany, both of which have slight concentrations of the name. The surname Rouw is likely derived from the Dutch word “rouwe”, meaning “grief”.
Rouw is an incredibly rare name in the United States, though some families seem to have settled in Pennsylvania in the early-1800s. It is unclear the exact circumstances of why those particular Rouws came to the United States, but it seems likely they had business or family reasons.
Today, the Rouw surname is highly unique with less than 200 people bearing it in the Netherlands as well as other countries. According to Ancestry.com, the most common variations of the Rouw name, Rou, Rouwe, Rouwes, Rouws, and Rouwes are all found in the Netherlands and Belgium.
As the name Rouw is still most prevalent in these areas, it seems likely that someone with the name would be Dutch or Belgian in background. However, due to the name’s rarity, people from other backgrounds, such as French or German, could still carry the Rouw surname. Regardless of the origin, the Rouw surname is a beautiful reminder of grief, hope, and perseverance for the families who carried it for generations.
Variations of the surname Rouw
Rouw is a surname of Dutch origin, which is derived from the word ‘rauw’ which means ‘rough’ in Dutch. Generally, it is pronounced as ‘row’. Variants of the surname Rouw include Rauw, Raauw, Rauwe, Rouwe, Ruwe, Roewe, Roow, Roouw, Roë and Rooy.
Variants of the surname may be spelled differently depending on the region. Some of these different spellings are Rauwe, Rouwe, Roewe, Rouw and Roouw. The most common spelling of the surname is Rouw.
Variants of the surname in other countries include Rause, Rausse, Rouse and Rowe in France, Rau in Germany, Rota in Italy, Rov in Hungary and رو في العربية.
Surnames of the same origin as Rouw include Ruys, Van der Rouw, Roo and Roos. The surname Roo is derived from the German word ‘roh’ which means ‘raw’, and is also a variant of the surname Rouw. Roos also derived from the Dutch word ‘roo’ which means ‘red’. Finally, Van der Rouw is derived from the Dutch phrase ‘van der rauwe’ which means ‘from the rough’.
Famous people with the name Rouw
- Hans Rouw: Dutch footballer who played in the Eredivisie between 1963 and 1974.
- Brigitte Rouw: Dutch television presenter and dancer who participated in the fifth season of the reality show Big Brother in 2010.
- Joachim Rouw: Dutch classical clarinetist who has performed with several major orchestras including Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra.
- Janna Rouw: Dutch classical flutist who is a regular guest with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta.
- Alicia Rouw: Canadian professional snowboarder who competed in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
- Annette Rouw: Dutch track and field athlete who holds the Dutch Records for the 400m, 400m hurdles, and 100m hurdles.
- Stef Rouw: Dutch professional footballer who most recently played with Excelsior in the Eredivisie.
- Paul Rouw: American musician and composer best known for his work as the keyboardist of the post-rock band Explosions in the Sky.
- Rene Rouw: Dutch competitive sailor and Olympic hopeful who currently competes in the F18 class of the Europa Cup.
- Alida Rouw: Dutch-born author and advocate for the elderly who wrote the book Nobody Cares About Seniors.