Rowley - what's in a surname?

ROWLEY - my surname

The name is a Saxon place name translating to something like 'The Field in the Forest'. ROW = forest LEA = field.

The surname ROWLEY is one of the oldest Anglo/Saxon names on record.

The first record of it is from Cheshire about the 9th century.

Rowley's were seated as the Lords of Carmichan in Cheshire And Randolph Rowley was the first on record. The family branched to Lawton in Cheshire and Tendring Hall in Suffolk then Hill House, Berkshire, Wykin and Rowley, Shropshire then Yorkshire and Staffordshire.

The main stem of the Cheshire family evolved into the Lords Langford.

Alternate spellings..Rowly Rowlee Rowlea Rowlie Rolly Rollie