Surname Rowbury - Meaning and Origin

Rowbury: What does the surname Rowbury mean?

Rowbury is an English surname that traces back to areas such as Wiltshire and Gloucestershire in England. The name is believed to have been derived from the Old English "ra-burh", where "ra" means "roe deer" and "burh" means "fortress" or "stronghold". Therefore, the literal meaning of Rowbury could be interpreted as "the fortress where roe deer are present". Like many other surnames, it is believed to have originally been a location-based surname, given to individuals residing near or within such a fortress. Surname origins, however, can be challenging to pinpoint accurately and the exact origin and meaning of Rowbury may vary based on different historic interpretations and translations.

Rowbury: Where does the name Rowbury come from?

The last name Rowbury is most commonly found in the United Kingdom. It is thought to have origins from a place named Rowbury in Dorset, England. Although the last name is found today in the United Kingdom, it is not limited to only this region. The name can also be found in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States.

The surname Rowbury is fairly uncommon; records on the internet census only shows 3,500 people in the United Kingdom sharing the last name. Historically, the name can be traced to the 14th century, when Europe was emerging from the Feudal system, and surnames began to become prominent. In the early days of the surname, it could have been an occupational surname for someone who resided near the area of Rowbury. It is thought that it could have also been derived from some form of topographical feature, like a hill or valley in the same region.

Historically, records show that some of the earliest recorded people with the Rowbury surname were from East Lancashire. The spelling of surnames were not as gay and precise back then, so the spelling Rowbury was interchangeable with Rowberry and Rowbry.

Today, the majority of the Rowbury surname is still found in the United Kingdom, mainly in the East and North West of the country. It is also found in immigrant populations in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Variations of the surname Rowbury

Rowbury is a moniker of English origin, deriving from the geographical locality of Rupert's Borough. Surnames of this type were originally adopted by people who had migrated to another area, in an effort to maintain a connection to their hometown.

Common variants of the Rowbury surname include Rawbury, Rawberry, Rawbary, Robury, Roburye, Robury, Rowberrie, and Rouberry. It can also be spelled Rubury, Ruburye, Roorbury, Rudbury, Ruddbury, Rudbery, and Roudbury.

The surnames Rouberry and Rudbury are the closest kin of the Rowbury surname. Rouberry is a variation of Rowbury and Rudbury is a variant of Rawbury, both of which are offshoots of Rowbury.

The Anglo-Saxon surname Rubury is derived from the Old English word hrype, which means a rupee. Meanwhile, Roorbury is derived from the Old Norse ruorp meaning to rob. Both of these variations are indicative of the people in this region during the Middle Ages.

Finally, Roudbury is an Anglicized version of the Gaelic name Mac Muiris, which was in use by people of Irish descent. It is also a title of honor, originating from the term mhuire, which means a ruler or lord.

In summary, the Rowbury surname can be translated to a variety of different spellings, forms, and surnames, including Rawbury, Robury, Rouberry, Rudbury, Roorbury, and Roudbury. Each variation has its own distinctive origin and meaning, each underscoring the varying identities of those who adopted this surname.

Famous people with the name Rowbury

• Mitchell Rowbury, Australian rules footballer
• Meredith Rowbury, American college basketball coach
• Steve Rowbury, English rugby league player
• Charlie Rowbury, Irish soccer player
• Duane Rowbury, American engineer and a former NASA astronaut
• Claud Rowbury, Canadian hockey player
• Dave Rowbury, Australian politician
• Col. David Rowbury CB, British Army officer
• Mark Rowbury, English cricketer
• Mike Rowbury, British soccer player and coach

Other surnames

Rowburrey