One of the most common questions people ask when researching their surname is simple:
“What is the Rowland family crest?”
Search online and you will quickly find dozens of images claiming to represent the Rowland coat of arms. Many websites will even sell decorative plaques, jewelry, and clothing displaying what they call the “official Rowland family crest.”
The problem is that heraldry does not work that way.
In reality, there is no single coat of arms that belongs to everyone with the surname Rowland. Heraldic arms were historically granted to individuals and specific families—not to surnames in general. Understanding this distinction is important for anyone researching their ancestry.
Heraldry Was Granted to Individuals, Not Surnames
Heraldry developed in medieval Europe during the 12th century as a system for identifying knights on the battlefield. Distinctive symbols painted on shields allowed warriors to recognize allies and opponents while wearing armor.
Over time these designs became hereditary family symbols known as coats of arms.
In England and Wales, coats of arms were regulated by the College of Arms in London, while Scotland had the Court of the Lord Lyon. These authorities granted arms to individuals who had achieved a certain level of social status or royal recognition.
Once granted, the coat of arms could pass down through legitimate male-line descendants of the original armiger.
What this means in practical terms is:
A coat of arms belongs to a specific lineage—not to everyone who shares the same surname.
Two unrelated men named Rowland living in the same century might have entirely different coats of arms—or none at all.
As detailed in Origin of the Rowland Surname, surnames developed independently in different regions, many unrelated families eventually carried the Rowland name. This is an important concept when studying heraldry. Even if one Rowland family received a coat of arms, that does not mean the arms belong to any other Rowland families.
Documented Rowland Coats of Arms
Historical heraldic sources such as Burke’s General Armory record several coats of arms associated with families named Rowland or Rowlands. Each of these belonged to a specific lineage.
Below are some examples.
Rowlands of Anglesey, Wales
Blazon
Or, a lion rampant gules. In simpler terms: A gold shield with a red lion standing upright
This coat of arms is associated with the Rowlands family of Anglesey in Wales, including the family of Henry Rowlands of Plas Gwyn and later descendants such as John Rowlands (1685–1760), who served as Sheriff of Anglesey.
This design—gold background with a red lion—is often shown online as the “Rowland family crest.” While the arms themselves are authentic, they apply only to that specific Welsh Rowlands lineage.
Unless someone can document descent from that family, the arms cannot be considered theirs.
Rowland of Shropshire, England
Blazon
Or, three pales gules. Meaning: A gold shield with three vertical red stripes
The crest associated with this coat of arms includes a demi-talbot (a hunting dog) emerging from a ducal coronet.
These arms were connected with a Rowland family in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, including antiquarian William Gorsuch Rowland (1770–1851).
Again, these arms belonged to a specific lineage rather than to everyone with the surname.
Rowland of Sussex
Blazon
Vert, four pheons or. Meaning: A green shield with four gold pheons (barbed arrowheads)
Associated family
A Rowland family recorded in Frant, Sussex, including the estate of Saxonbury Lodge.
One known member of this family was Charles Rowland, a landowner of Saxonbury Lodge in the 19th century. Heraldic records attribute the above arms to this Sussex Rowland family, though the original medieval grant is not clearly documented in surviving records.
Because heraldic visitations and county armories sometimes recorded arms already in family use, it is possible these arms were either granted earlier or assumed and later recognized.
Rowland of Surrey
Blazon
Azure, a sun in splendour between three estoiles or. Meaning: A blue shield with gold sun with rays and three gold estoiles (six-pointed stars with wavy rays)
Associated family
This coat of arms is associated with a Rowland family recorded in Surrey, including references to families in Egham and Barnes.
Unlike some heraldic grants, Burke’s entry lists the county association rather than identifying a specific armiger who first received the arms. This was common when heraldic compilers relied on earlier visitation records or family traditions.
Rowland Arms from Ireland
Blazon
Per pale gules and azure, three roses argent and two swords in saltire proper. Meaning: Shield divided vertically red and blue, with three silver roses and two crossed swords
Associated family
These arms appear in heraldic compilations connected with Rowland families in Ireland, particularly those whose surname may have derived from Anglo-Norman Roland families who settled in Ireland.
Some Rowland families in Ireland may also represent anglicized forms of Irish surnames, meaning the heraldry could derive from Norman settlers rather than indigenous Gaelic families.
The precise original grantee is not recorded in most armorial references, suggesting the arms were either:
- attributed to a particular Irish branch of the surname, or
- recorded during later heraldic compilations.
A Modern Example of Rowland Heraldry
Heraldry did not end in the Middle Ages. New coats of arms are still granted today by official heraldic authorities. One modern example is the coat of arms granted to Daryl Rowland by the Canadian Heraldic Authority.
The crest features two squirrel forepaws holding a fir cone, and the motto reads:
“Protecting My Family.”
This modern grant demonstrates exactly how heraldry works: the arms belong to one individual and their descendants, not to everyone with the surname Rowland.
Coat of Arms vs. Family Crest
Another point of confusion involves the word crest.
In proper heraldic terminology:
- The coat of arms refers to the entire heraldic design.
- The crest is only the figure displayed above the helmet.
However, in everyday language, people often use the term family crest to describe the entire coat of arms.
This misunderstanding has contributed to the popularity of commercial “family crest” products.
Are Commercial Family Crest Sellers Authentic?
Many companies sell decorative products displaying surname coats of arms. These businesses typically follow a simple process:
- Find a coat of arms historically associated with a surname.
- Assume it applies to everyone with that surname.
- Sell products using that design.
While the artwork may be based on real heraldic arms, the implication that it represents your specific family is usually historically inaccurate.
The Welsh Rowlands coat of arms mentioned earlier is genuine, but it belongs to a particular family in Anglesey. Unless someone can trace their ancestry directly to that lineage, using the arms as a “family crest” is technically incorrect.
From a genealogical perspective, these commercial products should be viewed as decorative representations rather than documented family history.
Do Most Rowland Families Have a Coat of Arms?
Probably not.
Historically, only a small percentage of families ever received coats of arms. Most people in medieval and early modern England had no need for heraldic symbols.
For the majority of modern Rowland families, the only way to determine whether a coat of arms legitimately applies to them is through documented genealogy.
This involves:
- Tracing the family line back to Britain or Ireland.
- Identifying the exact ancestral lineage.
- Determining whether that lineage possessed recorded arms.
- Proving descent from the original armiger.
Modern tools such as Y-DNA testing have revealed that the Rowland surname consists of multiple unrelated paternal lines, further reducing the likelihood that a single coat of arms represents all Rowland families.
The Reality of the “Official Rowland Family Crest”
Despite what many websites claim, there is no single official Rowland family crest.
What does exist are several authentic coats of arms granted to specific Rowland families in different regions.
For genealogists researching the surname, these arms are valuable pieces of historical evidence—but they should not be assumed to represent every person named Rowland.
In fact, the true story of the Rowland surname is far more interesting: a collection of independent family lines spread across England, Wales, Ireland, and later America.
Understanding those lines—and how they connect—is the real goal of surname genealogy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an official Rowland family crest?
No. Heraldry was granted to individuals and specific families, not to surnames. Multiple Rowland families had different coats of arms.
What is the most common Rowland coat of arms shown online?
The most frequently displayed design is the gold shield with a red lion, associated with the Rowlands family of Anglesey in Wales.
Can anyone use a Rowland coat of arms?
Historically, coats of arms belong only to the descendants of the person to whom they were granted.
Are family crest websites accurate?
Many display authentic heraldic designs, but they usually apply them generically to surnames rather than to documented family lines.
Sources
- Burke, Bernard. The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.
- Fairbairn, James. Book of Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland.
- Fox-Davies, A.C. A Complete Guide to Heraldry.
- College of Arms, London.
- Canadian Heraldic Authority Public Register of Arms.
- Surname historical references for Rowland and Roland.