Roan Family Crest & Name History

Roan is a branch of the Rowan name tree. The family name meaning is “Red-haired (Irish), or from Roland (Scots)”, the same as for Rowan.

Spelling and variants

Roan is listed among the recognised spellings of Rowan. Regional accents shaped spellings long before dictionaries fixed them. You may also find the name written Rowand, Ruane and Rowen.

Surname statistics

About 3,603 people in the United States were recorded as Roan in 2010, placing it 9,073 on the national list. Names that sound alike, such as Rahn, are easily confused in old records.

Roan coat of arms

Arms linked to Rowan and its spellings were granted to individual families; our heraldry team traces which line they belonged to.

Get the complete Roan report, with a museum-style coat of arms.