Untested Rowland Genealogical Lines

With numerous untested Rowland lines, knowing how we are or are not genealogically connected remains a mystery. Below are 40 Rowland descendant trees containing thousands of Rowland profiles documented on the WikiTree. There are many more untested lines, although we haven’t built out the paper trail yet.

These untested lines far exceed the number of Rowland lines with Y-DNA confirmation. The reason is simple: it is the lack of sufficient quantities of Rowland Y-DNA test-takers. You can attempt to “guess” which DNA Group you belong to, but only a Y-DNA test lets you truly “know” your Rowland DNA Group.

Are these 40 untested Rowland lines all unique? Probably not. There is a very high probability that many of them are related to one of the existing groups. Additionally, some of the lines listed below could prove to be related to each other. However, without a Y-DNA test, it is merely speculation.

The lines listed below are organized alphabetically by physical locality, starting with country, and then more specific regional references. Each line contains information on the number of documented descendants, the earliest known ancestor with a link to his WikiTree profile, and the prominent locations of his descendants. For the United States, these descendant locations are listed alphabetically by state with counties in parentheses.

This data is updated regularly, and the latest information can be found at Untested Rowland Lines.

Australia

New South Wales from Devon, England

102 descendants in WikiTree (as of 17 Jan 2024).
Earliest Known Ancestor: John Rowland (1833-1911) was born in Awliscombe, Devon, England and died in Morpeth, New South Wales. He arrived in Australia aboard the ship “Wallasea” in 1865.
Descendant locations: New South Wales (Exeter, Morpeth, Muswellbrook, Newcastle, Singleton, Tenterfield, Wallsend)

New South Wales from Middlesex, England

296 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestor: William Rowland (1807-1850) was born in Middlesex, England, and died in London. He married Esther Ann Garrett in 1830, and after his death, his widow and children emigrated to New South Wales, Australia.
Descendant locations: New South Wales.

New South Wales from Rutland, England

100 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Jan 2024).
Earliest Known Ancestor: George Rowland (c1780-) is the father of George Rowland (1808-1881), who was born in Greetham, Rutland, England. He was living in Buckminster, Leicestershire before arriving in Sydney aboard the “Briton” on 26 Jun 1844. He died in Bungawalbin, New South Wales, Australia.
Descendant locations: New South Wales (Bungawalbin, Grafton).

Victoria from Cornwall, England

285 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestor: William Rowland (1807-1855) was born in Cornwall, England. He married Frances Budge in 1835 and five years later they emigrated to South Australia, finally settling in Victoria. He is buried in the Pioneer Cemetery of Avoca, Victoria, Australia.
Descendant locations include Victoria, Australia.

Western Australia from Yorkshire, England

149 descendants in WikiTree (as of 28 Jan 2024).
Earliest Known Ancestor: Richard Rowland (1803-1883) was born in Foggathorpe, Yorkshire, England and passed away in Dongara, Colony of Western Australia. He and his wife, Elizabeth Johnson arrived at the Swan River Colony aboard the “Tranby” on 30 Jan 1830.
Descendant locations: Western Australia (Dongara, Middle Irwin, Perth, Walkaway)

Canada

Northwest Territories from Orkney Islands, Scotland

516 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestor: Robert Rowland (1705- ) was born in the Orkney Islands off the north coast of Scotland. There are no longer any Rowlands currently living in the Orkney Islands. However, many descendants emigrated to Canada.
Descendant Locations: Alberta (Edmonton, St Albert, Tolfield), Manitoba (St Clements), Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan (Prince Albert); USA: Washington (Pierce)

Ontario, Perth from Somerset, England

151 descendants in WikiTree (as of 06 Jan 2024)
Earliest Known Ancestor: William Rowland (c1775-) was born in Somerset, England and many of his descendants migrated to Perth, Ontario, Canada in the 1830s.
Descendant locations include: England (Somerset); Wales (Glamorganshire); Canada (Perth, Ontario; Manitoba; British Columbia); USA New York (Erie)

England

Cumberland, England

98 descendants in WikiTree (as of 04 Feb 2024)
Earliest Known Ancestor: Edward Rowland (died about 1621) was born in Cumberland, England.
Descendant locations include: England, Cumberland (Dalston)

USA

Arkansas, Saline County

Saline County, Arkansas is a crossroads of multiple Rowland family lines including DNA Groups I and J. However, the largest of these Rowland lines remains untested and unassigned to an existing DNA group.

309 descendants in WikiTree (as of 17 Jan 2024)
Earliest Known Ancestor: Thomas George Rowland (1772-1854) was born in North Carolina (county unknown) and died in St. Clair County, Alabama. His sons continued west and settled in Saline County, Arkansas.
Descendant Locations: Alabama (Tuscaloosa), Arkansas (Pulaski, Saline), California (Fresno, Marisposa), Oklahoma (Sequoyah), Texas (Hunt)

Connecticut, New London County

1,915 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestor #1: Hugh Rowland (1648-1702) was born in Lyme, New London, Connecticut and presumed to have died there also.
- 1,883 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
- Descendant Locations: Connecticut (New London); Vermont (Orange); Indiana (Grant, Hancock); and Minnesota (Rock).
Earliest Known Ancestor #2: Benjamin Rowland (1753-1831) was born in New London County, Connecticut, and died in Chenango County, New York. His connection to Hugh Rowland (1648-1702) is unknown at this time.
- 21 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
- Descendant Locations: Missouri (Adair); New York (Chenango); and Wisconsin (Trempealeau).
Earliest Known Ancestor #3: Nathaniel Rowland (1760-1818) was born in New London, Connecticut.
- 11 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
- Descendant locations: Ohio (Erie).

Delmarva Peninsula

The Delmarva Peninsula is on the east coast of the United States, bordered by the Chesapeake Bay on the west along with the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay on the east. The earliest known non-indigenous visitors arrived in 1566, an expedition led by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés of Spanish Florida. The area was under Dutch control from about 1631 to 1664, when it came under British control. Today, it consists of the state of Delaware and the eastern shores of Maryland and Virginia.

176 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestor: Samuel Rowland (1676-1727) was born on the Delmarva Peninsula in British Colonial America and died in Sussex County, Delaware.
Descendant Locations: Delaware (Sussex).

Georgia, Emanuel County

Includes early settlers of Emanuel, Johnson, Montgomery, and Wheeler counties of Georgia

97 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestors: There are currently four unconnected descendant trees believed to be related in this region including the counties of Emanuel, Johnson, Montgomery, and Wheeler. They are Nathan Rowland (1783-1861), Williamson Rowland (1800- ), Joseph T. R. Rowland (1859-1930), and Nathan Rowland (1870-1940).

Kentucky, Hopkins County

71 descendants in WikiTree (as of 17 Jan 2024).
Earliest Known Ancestor: Bedford Roland (1795-1855) was born in North Carolina (county unknown) and migrated to Kentucky by 1830.
Descendant Locations: Arkansas (Benton, White), Kentucky (Hopkins, McLean, Webster), Missouri (St Louis)

Kentucky, Simpson County

143 descendants in WikiTree (as of 04 Feb 2024) pending completion of the proposed merge.
Earliest Known Ancestor: Jilson Payne Rowland (1805-a1870) lived in Simpson for the 1830, 1840, and 1850 census. He then moved to Pope County, Illinois, where he passed away. Descendants use both the Roland and Rowland spelling.
Descendant Locations: Illinois (Johnson, Pope), Missouri (Butler, Douglas, Webster), Oklahoma (Wagoner)

Michigan, Lenawee County

Two Rowland families migrated from New York (unknown county) to Lenawee County, Michigan. They are probably related, although the connection has not yet been found.

51 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestors: Charles Rowland (1805-1863) was born in New York and died in Clinton, Lenawee, Michigan. William B Rowland (1818-1878) was born in New York and died in Tecumseh, Lenawee, Michigan.

New Jersey, Somerset County

150 descendants in WikiTree (as of 28 Jan 2024).
Earliest Known Ancestor: George Rowland (1736-1793) was born and passed away in Somerset County, New Jersey, He performed Patriotic Service in the American Revolution and is a Daughters of the American Revolution patriot ancestor.
Descendant Locations: Illinois (Edgar, Hancock), Indiana (Dearborn), Missouri (Platte, Scotland, Sullivan), New Jersey (Essex, Hunterdon, Somerset), New Mexico (Bernalillo, Eddy)

New York, Montgomery-Fulton County

Note: A descendant of this line recently took a Y-DNA test and has confirmed that this line is part of Rowland DNA Group E.

We currently have two earliest ancestors for this line which has been traced back to Northampton Township, Fulton County, New York in the late 1700s. Northampton township became part of Fulton County when it was split off from Montgomery County in 1838. Our two earliest ancestors appear to be brothers, as they were listed next to each other in the 1830 and 1840 census records. They are possibly members of Rowland DNA Group E, but further research is needed.

117 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestors: Samuel Rowland (c1795- c1843) was born in Montgomery County New York about 1795 and died in about 1843 (Fulton County) and Stephen Rowland (1795-1869) was born in Montgomery County New York about 1795 and died in 1869 (Fulton County).
Descendant locations: Michigan (Kent, Montcalm), New York (Erie, Fulton, Hamilton), Texas (Edwards, Tom Green), Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

New York, Suffolk County from La Tremblade, France

9,603 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestor: Pierre Rolland (1650-1741) was born in La Tremblade, France, and he died there also. Many subsequent generations lived in Schoharie and Suffolk counties of New York.
Descendant Locations (Rolland, Ruland, and Rowland spellings): France; Colorado (Gunnison); Illinois (Richland); Louisiana (Beauregard); New York (Albany, Schoharie, Suffolk); Pennsylvania (Warren); and Wisconsin (La Crosse).

North Carolina, Montgomery County

145 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestor: Robert Roland (1769-1854) was born in North Carolina and passed away in Morgan County, Alabama. He and his wife, Elizabeth Sherrod, had nine children in and around Montgomery County, North Carolina. They were in Morgan County County, Alabama by the 1830 census, and many of his children moved on to Texas.
Descendant locations include: Alabama (St Clair); Oklahoma (Custer, Pontotoc); Texas (Burleson, Collin, Lamar, Potter)

North Carolina, Robeson County

472 descendants in WikiTree (as of 17 Jan 2024).
Earliest Known Ancestor: John Alexander Rowland (c1750-1803) was born in North Carolina, and he was in Robeson by the 1790 census. The town of Rowland, North Carolina is named for one of his descendants.
Descendant Locations: North Carolina (Cumberland, Robeson).

North Carolina, Warren County

141 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestor: Burch Rowland (c1765-c1835) was born in Warren County, North Carolina, and passed away in Montgomery County, Tennessee.
Descendant Locations: Arkansas (Lee, St. Francis); Tennessee (Montgomery).

North Carolina, Yancey County

157 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestor: Henry “Halle” Roland (1777-1876) was born in North Carolina (county uncertain) and died in Yancey County, North Carolina. He married Sarah Robertson and is buried in the cemetery named after him in Riverside, Yancey County.
Descendant locations include North Carolina (Buncombe, Burke, Forysth, McDowell, and Yancey); and Tennessee (Greene and Washington).

Pennsylvania, Bedford County

74 descendants in WikiTree (as of 28 Jan 2024).
Earliest Known Ancestor: James Roland (c1745-c1810) passed away in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. His birthplace is unknown.
Descendant Locations: Maryland (Allegany), Pennsylvania (Bedford), Texas (Hutchison, Jack), West Virginia (Harrison)

Pennsylvania, Berks County

382 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestor: David Roland (-1820) passed away in Berks County, Pennsylvania in 1820. His birthplace is unknown. Many subsequent generations lived and worked in the town of Reading and were hatters (Reading, Pennsylvania is famous for its hats).
Descendant Locations: Pennsylvania (Berks); Illinois (Ogle, Whiteside); Iowa (Greene, Polk, Poweshiek); and Colorado.
Articles: Roland Family Hatters of Reading, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania, Cambria County from Caernarvonshire, Wales

162 descendants in WikiTree (as of 04 Feb 2024).
Earliest Known Ancestor: William Rowland (1742-c1810) married Elizabeth Ellis in 1762 at Llanllechid, Caernarvonshire, Wales. His immediate descendants were in Cambria County, Pennsylvania by the 1820 census.
Descendant Locations: Missouri (Cole), Pennsylvania (Allegheny, Armstrong, Cambria, Clearfield, Indiana), Washington (Clark)

Pennsylvania, Chester County

This is one of the lines from Chester County presumed to not belong to Rowland DNA Group B.

60 descendants in WikiTree (as of 04 Feb 2024).
Earliest Known Ancestor: Joseph Rowland (c1745-1815) was born in Pennsylvania. He lived in Willistown Township of Chester County. The township shares a border with Delaware County, Pennsylvania where many of his descendants resided.
Descendant Locations: California (Los Angeles), New Jersey (Cape May), Pennsylvania (Chester, Delaware, Philadelphia), Washington DC, Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

Pennsylvania, Chester County (to Kansas)

This is one of the lines from Chester County presumed to not belong to Rowland DNA Group B.

21 descendants in WikiTree (as of 04 Feb 2024).
Earliest Known Ancestor: Charles Rowland (1822-1908) was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania. He learned the blacksmith trade in Philadelphia, moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1849, and then on to Washington County, Kansas by 1870.
Descendant Locations: Kansas (Washington), Nebraska (Boone, Greeley)

Pennsylvania, Greene County

37 descendants in WikiTree (as of 28 Jan 2024).
Earliest Known Ancestor: John W Rowland (1821-1904) was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania. He married Charlotte Warner in Warren County, Illinois in 1845. They spent about 30 years in Warren and Henderson counties before moving to Nebraska and Iowa. He died in Dawes County, Nebraska in 1904. Note: the currently attached parents in WikiTree are incorrect.
Descendant Locations: Idaho (Jefferson), Illinois (Henderson), Kansas (Clay), Montana (Lewis and Clark, Teton), Nebraska (Dawes), Washington (Spokane)

Pennsylvania, Lebanon County

A Rohland family settled in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania by 1830. Many descendants remained in that area while a large contingent moved further west to Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania about 1840. The Rohland spelling is consistent, and this line is believed to be of Germanic origin.

52 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestor: Johan Jacob Rohland (1759-1841) was born in Pennsylvania and died in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania, Montgomery (aka Shovel Work) from Pembrokeshire, Wales

This is yet another line with ties to Chester County that is presumed to not belong to Rowland DNA Group B.

274 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestor: William Rowland (1650-1714) was from Rhosybayvil, Parish of Bayvil, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Some of his descendants emigrated to West Whitefield Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. They then moved into Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and became the proprietors of numerous factories, known as the Shovel Works in an area that came to be known as Rowlandville.
Descendant Locations: Pennsylvania (Chester, Mifflin, Montgomery, Philadelphia); and Ohio (Franklin).

Pennsylvania, Washington County

140 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestor: Henry Rowland (1748-1821) was possibly born in Wales and fought in the American Revolution for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. After the war, he settled in Washington County and died in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.
Descendant Locations: Indiana (Kosciusko); Iowa (Clarke); Ohio (Carroll, Holmes, Mahoning); Pennsylvania (Beaver, Lawrence, Washington).

South Carolina, Lexington County

114 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestor: John Roland (c1776-b1860) was born in South Carolina and passed away in the county of Lexington. Most of his descendants remained in the area with Find-A-Grave listing more than 240 Roland burials in Lexington County, South Carolina.
Descendant locations: South Carolina (Lexington, Richland)

Tennessee, Hawkins County

102 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestor: Nathan Glen Rowland (1813-1897) was born in Virginia and moved to Hawkins County, Tennessee
Descendant Locations: Tennessee (Hawkins, Sullivan, Knox, Davidson); and Missouri (Platte).
Articles: The 84 Grandchildren of David M Rowland

Tennessee, Rutherford County

75 descendants in WikiTree (as of 28 Jan 2024).
Earliest Known Ancestor: John Rowland (b1785-c1834) was born in Virginia (county unknown) and had moved to Rutherford County, Tennessee by the 1820 census.
Descendant Locations: Tennessee (Coffee, Davidson, Marshall, Roane, Rutherford).

Tennessee, Williamson-Hardeman County

100 descendants in WikiTree (as of 17 Jan 2024).
Earliest Known Ancestor: Isaac Roland (c1800-1879) was born in South Carolina (county unknown), was in Williamson County, Tennessee by 1824, and in Hardeman County by 1860, where he eventually passed away.
Descendant Locations: Arkansas (Grant, Hot Spring), Louisiana (East Feliciana), Mississippi (Adams, Wilkinson), Tennessee (Chester, Hardeman, Knox, Williamson)

Utah from Nottinghamshire, England

110 descendants in WikiTree (as of 17 Jan 2024).
Earliest Known Ancestor: William Rowland (1763-1836) was born in Shottle, Derbyshire, and died in Greasley Nottinghamshire. By 1865, a number of his descendants had migrated to Utah.
Descendant Locations: England: Derbyshire (Ilkeston), Nottinghamshire (Basford, Eastwood, Greasley, Newthorpe); USA: Utah (Salt Lake, Utah, Weber)

Virginia, Bedford County

414 descendants in WikiTree (as of 17 Jan 2024). The two Earliest Known Ancestors are believed to be brothers.
Earliest Known Ancestor 1: Henry Rowland (1746-1773) was born in Albemarle County, Virginia and died in Bedford County, Virginia. He married Penelope Clark.
Earliest Known Ancestor 2: Rev Reuben Rowland (1743-1807) was born in Albemarle County, Virginia and died in Caldwell County, Kentucky.
Descendant Locations: Colorado (Crowley, Jefferson), Iowa (Henry, Jefferson), Kentucky (Caldwell, Christian, Logan, Marshall, McCracken, Simpson), Missouri (Carrol, Cass, Clay, Jackson), Nebraska (Dawson), Oregon (Lane), Texas {Brazoria)

Virginia, Frederick-Clarke County

212 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestors: There are currently five unconnected descendant trees believed to be related in this region which includes Frederick and Clarke counties of Virginia, along with Berkeley and Jefferson counties of West Virginia. They are Mathew Martin Rowland (1780-1835), Samuel Rowland (abt.1783-1870), John Rowland (1807-1882), Ray Moncrief Rowland (1870-1948), and David Morgan Rowland (1894-1961).

Virginia, Hanover County from Glamorgan, Wales

397 descendants in WikiTree (as of 31 Dec 2023).
Earliest Known Ancestor: Thomas Edward Rowland (1690-1744), was born in Llandurry, Glamorgan, Wales, and passed away in Hanover County, Colony of Virginia. He came to the New World at an early age, and his wife, Grace Marion Hammond, was born in Virginia.
Descendant Locations: Indiana (Clark); Kentucky (Clark, Jessamine, Nelson, Pike, Woodford); and Virginia (Hanover).

West Virginia, Mercer County

36 descendants in WikiTree (as of 17 Jan 2024).
Earliest Known Ancestor: Johnston Rowland (c1775-) was born in Virginia, and his sons were born in Giles County, Virginia. A portion of Giles became Mercer County in 1837, and Mercer became a county in West Virginia when it formed in 1863.
Descendant Locations: Virginia (Giles), West Virginia (Mercer)

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