Well, every patriline is non-British if you go back far enough. I haven't really studied Roots closely, but I assume that it came to Britain in multiple migrations. I'm not confident with which was the most important.
It would make sense, as either Celtic or Germanic migrations occured at multiple times in the history of Britain. Question, though: Do you have any good resources on the Roots sub-clade? I have literally only been able to find passing references to the name, rather than any detailed information. I'd be most obliged.
It's not clear where I2a2a was during the LGM, but it is likely that its population shifted northward. See the black dots
here. (Rough estimates... I'm thinking of moving the I2a2a-Isles dots down a bit soon based on new data; I still need to figure that out.)
Fantastic map. I agree, though, that the Isles dots could be pushed down a bit if this is supposed to represent refugia. Only the furthest South of Britain and Ireland was ice-free during the LGM, if I recall properly.
It is
not common in France, and the German name probably has a different derivation than the British names (possibly from Rowy, Pomerania?). The British derivations I'm more familiar with, because it's a common name in Cornwall, which is an area of focus for me. There seems to be
two common derivations. The Yorkshire/Lancashire derivation is probably the first Ancestry.com gives, a "topographic name for someone who lived by a hedgerow or in a row of houses built next to one another, from Middle English row (northern Middle English raw, from Old English raw)." The second is as a patronymic variation of Roul, Rollo, Rolf, Ralph, Rowland, etc. Most importantly, this includes the
Cornish for Ralph (most Cornish surnames are patronymic... Cornish naming patterns are quite different from English naming patterns, they're closer to Welsh naming patterns).
I'm afraid you misunderstood me a bit. I had meant that I2a2a is in these other countries which, in association with one derivation of Rowe, makes sense. If Rowe is Norman, it makes sense that Rowe should be an I2a2a family. Not that the name remains in Germany, France, et cetera, which is highly unlikely in a direct connection. Very sorry for the confusion.
As for the name (and it is great that you know so much about Rowe! Thanks!) and its Cornish origins: That is one highly favoured by certain scholars of the name. I myself am on the fence about whether or not it is really Cornish historically, rather than Cornish by adoption (hundreds of years ago!). There is no doubt the Rowes are in Cornwall very early, but depending on the history of how they came to be in Cornwall, it could be. Your references to the potential patronymic names, for instance, are all names of non-Cornish derivation.
As for hedgerow, that's quite possibly one, too. I have never been able to get a definitive link to anything with that, though, and as it comes from Yorkshire and Lancastershire, it may represent a separate name from my branch (which is firmly Cornish). Rowe might be two names in actuality. It's hard to tell.
It also makes sense, as you said, that Cornish and Welsh naming conventions should be similar. Cornish and Welsh culture is, after all, based on a strong backing of the Britons that were pushed to the fringes of England with the coming of the Anglo-Saxons. The Cornish and Welsh languages are very similar too, aren't they? Although you Welshmen sure love your odd romanization...(I remember being in Wales and marvelling at the signage in Welsh that made absolutely no sense in its romanization).
...hence, I suspect your surname is just a patronymic for the Cornish for "Ralph." My best guess, given just your surname, is that you probably had some Cornish-speaking ancestor name Rowe, whose son took that as his surname.
I think it is highly likely, yes. Although if the ancestor that some Rowes give as one of the earliest examples of Rowe in England (Edevard de Rowe) it would have been a surname already. I favour the idea that it is patronymic, though, as with you. It makes a great deal of sense.
Where in Cornwall, by the way? I can help a lot with Cornish genealogy.
You're the most helpful guy around, my good man. Thank you very much. I really appreciate this insight. Truly.
James Rowe, 1804, parish of Breage, son of William and Mary Rowe. (Amusing, as I'm also James, son of William). That is the earliest my father went down to in his genealogy. However, I thought I had found someone a bit further down one time, but I cannot recall the information or where I might have.