The Rowland One-Name Study encompasses all aspects of the Rowland surname in genealogy, history, and common usage.  The objective is to be a prime resource for all genealogists with a Rowland branch in their family tree. One of the goals to cross-reference all Rowland Y-DNA test takers to their appropriate Rowland ancestral line. 

While Rowland is the most common spelling, the study also encompasses the variants of Roland, Rowlands, Rolland, and Ruland.

Most historians (and genealogists) agree the name Roland first appeared more than 1,200 years ago. Roland, the Paladin Warrior and nephew of Charlemagne, was born in 736 and died on 15 Aug 778 at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass. The battle is recounted in the 11th century The Song of Roland, the oldest surviving major work of French literature.

The Normans used Roland as a personal name. Roland is composed of the Germanic elements hrod/hruod 'renown' + land 'land', 'territory' (or + -nand 'bold', assimilated to -lant 'land'). Translation: "fame of the land."

The Normans brought the name to England, where the "w" began to appear. Additionally, after being conquered by the Normans, the use of surnames began to spread through England and they were in common usage by 1400.  See also: https://rowlandgenealogy.com/origin-of-the-rowland-surname/

Before there were surnames: Roland, the Paladin Warrior and nephew of Charlemagne, was born in 736 and died on 15 Aug 778 at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass.

Sailed with William Penn: John Rowland (1660-1715), his wife Priscilla (Sheppard) Rowland (1660-????), and his brother Thomas Rowland (1658-1708) sailed from Deal, England to America with William Penn on the ship Welcome, arriving in North America in October 1682.

The Chandelier Makers: Robert Rowland, Sr (1632-1707), and his son Robert Rowland, Jr (1665-1735), created the historical and fabulous chandeliers that can still be found in churches in England today. Robert made his 36-Branch Brass Chandelier for St. James church in the village of Egerton in Kent in 1699. Historians believe it to be the oldest in the world.

The Archaeologist: Henry Rowlands (1655-1723) was rector of Llanidan on Anglesey, and the author of Mona Antiqua Restaurata: An Archaeological Discourse on the Antiquities, Natural and Historical, of the Isle of Anglesey, the Antient Seat of the British Druids (first edition, 1723). The book includes an early description of The Bridestones. 

The Evangelist: Daniel Rowland (1711-1790) served as an Evangelist and early on as an Anglican curate. He was one of the foremost figures in the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist revival.

The French Revolutionists: Jean-Marie Roland de la Platière (1734 – 1793) was an inspector of manufacturers in Lyon, France and became a leader of the Girondist faction in the French Revolution. He was largely influenced in this direction by his wife, Marie-Jeanne "Manon" Roland de la Platière. He served as a minister of the interior in King Louis XVI's government in 1792.    Marie-Jeanne 'Manon' Roland de la Platière (1754 – 1793) was born Marie-Jeanne Phlipon, and best known under the name Madame Roland. She was a French revolutionary, salonnière, and writer. Initially she led a quiet and unremarkable life as a provincial intellectual with her husband, the economist Jean-Marie Roland de la Platière. However, when the French Revolution broke out in 1789, she became interested in politics. Madame Roland wrote her memoirs during her imprisonment in the months leading up to her execution. The memoirs, and her letters, are a valuable source of information about the first years of the French Revolution. 

The Barbers of London: Alexander Rowland (1747-1823) was a celebrated London barber. Back in the day, it was not uncommon for barbers to make their own hair preparations, and around 1783 Rowland began offering his own Rowland's Macassar Oil. Within two decades it had become hugely popular, and was aggressively advertised with extravagant claims of its effectiveness, becoming one of the first nationally advertised products. His son, Alexander Rowland II (1783-1861), continued the business. By the 1840s, he was widely claiming that the oil was being used by the Royal Family and nobility of England, as well as by several sovereigns and courts in Europe. The Queen’s patronage was boldly proclaimed on the double-fronted Macassar Oil and Kalydor Warehouse at 20 Hatton Garden.

The Cutlery Makers: Sleigh Rowland (1772- ) was a noted cutlery manufacturer in Sheffield, England (circa 1830-1850). Some of his wares are in the National Museum of American History. The given name of Sleigh lasted at least five generations, with this particular Sleigh being the second generation.

The Shovel Makers: Benjamin Rowland (1777-1824) founded the original Rowland millworks in 1795. The Rowland Shovel Works is the catch-all name bestowed on the numerous business entities owned and operated by multiple generations of the Rowland family in Montgomery and Philadelphia counties of Pennsylvania from the 1730s and into the 20th Century. The area in Holmesburg had so many Rowland mills and factories that it came to be known as Rowlandville. The Shovel Shop there has been designated a historic landmark. The Rowland Company is still in business today.

See a more extensive list of Famous Rowlands.

Individual profiles are maintained at WikiTree, which has more than 20,000 Rowland (and variants) entries.

The Rowland DNA Project of Y-DNA test-takers is located at FamilyTreeDNA.

The Rowland Xref Project, which is cross-referencing Rowland Y-DNA test-takers to their associated ancestral trees is located at RowlandGenealogy.