NameCensus.

UK surname

Arlow

An English surname derived from the Old English place name "aerr-hol", meaning "muddy or marshy place".

In the 1881 census there were 61 people recorded with the Arlow surname, ranking it #24,992 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 195, ranked #19,921, up from #24,992 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waveney, Greenock Town Centre and East Central and Peterborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Arlow is 218 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 219.7%.

1881 census count

61

Ranked #24,992

Modern count

195

2016, ranked #19,921

Peak year

1997

218 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Arlow had 61 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,992 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 195 in 2016, ranked #19,921.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 90 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Arlow surname distribution map

The map shows where the Arlow surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Arlow surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Arlow over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 33 #27,390
1861 historical 44 #28,433
1881 historical 61 #24,992
1891 historical 74 #27,538
1901 historical 90 #24,021
1911 historical 34 #29,600
1997 modern 218 #16,704
1998 modern 209 #17,650
1999 modern 201 #18,179
2000 modern 208 #17,772
2001 modern 212 #17,324
2002 modern 207 #17,911
2003 modern 185 #18,999
2004 modern 182 #19,306
2005 modern 180 #19,395
2006 modern 173 #19,995
2007 modern 173 #20,243
2008 modern 177 #20,169
2009 modern 188 #19,797
2010 modern 189 #20,171
2011 modern 192 #19,797
2012 modern 196 #19,463
2013 modern 201 #19,454
2014 modern 196 #19,961
2015 modern 187 #20,502
2016 modern 195 #19,921

Geography

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Where Arlows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waveney, Greenock Town Centre and East Central, Peterborough and Gourock Central, Upper East and IRH. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waveney 004 Waveney
2 Greenock Town Centre and East Central Inverclyde
3 Peterborough 002 Peterborough
4 Waveney 007 Waveney
5 Gourock Central, Upper East and IRH Inverclyde

Forenames

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First names often paired with Arlow

These lists show first names that appear often with the Arlow surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Arlow

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Arlow, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Arlow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Arlow household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Arlow is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Arlow is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Arlow falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Arlow is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Arlow, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Arlow

The surname Arlow is of English origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "aearu" meaning a dwelling place and "hlaw" meaning a hill or mound, thus referring to someone who lived on a hill near a dwelling place.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, which mentions a Robert de Arlow. The name also appears in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1379, where it is spelled as Arlewe.

The Arlow surname is closely associated with the village of Arlow in Cheshire, England, which was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Aireliev". This suggests that the name may have originated from this place name.

During the 16th century, the name appears in various records in Shropshire and Staffordshire, indicating a strong presence in the West Midlands region of England. Notable individuals from this period include John Arlow, who was born in Shrewsbury in 1542, and Thomas Arlow, a landowner in Staffordshire in the late 1500s.

In the 17th century, the name spread further across England, with records showing Arlows living in counties such as Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire. One prominent figure from this time was William Arlow, a merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, who lived from 1620 to 1687.

As the Arlow surname continued to grow in prominence, it produced several notable individuals throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. These include Robert Arlow (1711-1796), a noted mathematician and astronomer from Yorkshire; Mary Arlow (1775-1847), a respected author and poet from Derbyshire; and Sir John Arlow (1823-1904), a successful industrialist and philanthropist from Lancashire.

Other significant figures bearing the Arlow name include Edward Arlow (1867-1937), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, and Sir Arthur Arlow (1892-1978), a highly decorated military officer who served in both World War I and World War II.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Arlow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Arlow surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lanarkshire leads with 28 Arlows recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.32x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 28 14.32x
Middlesex 11 1.82x
Pembrokeshire 9 46.83x
Essex 5 4.19x
Lancashire 4 0.56x
Renfrewshire 2 4.27x
Northamptonshire 1 1.76x
Surrey 1 0.34x
Warwickshire 1 0.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 18 Arlows recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.83x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 18 51.83x
Edmonton 6 123.20x
Maryhill 5 130.55x
West Ham 5 18.97x
Barony 4 8.08x
Hampton Wick London 4 909.09x
Monckton 4 1176.47x
Lowton 3 612.24x
Pembroke St Mary 2 80.97x
Allesley 1 500.00x
Govan 1 2.07x
Haverfordwest St Martin 1 277.78x
Haverfordwest St Mary 1 357.14x
Kirkdale 1 8.29x
Lochwinnoch 1 142.86x
Stamford Baron St Martin 1 333.33x
West Greenock 1 11.89x
Westminster St John 1 13.59x
Whitchurch 1 588.24x
Woking 1 56.18x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Arlow surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Jane 3
Mary 3
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Isabella 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Martha 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Arlow surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 3
William 3
James 2
Thomas 2
Charles 1
Daniel 1
David 1
George 1
Henry 1
Samule 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Arlow households.

FAQ

Arlow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Arlow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 61 people were recorded with the Arlow surname. That placed it at #24,992 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Arlow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 195 in 2016. That gives Arlow a modern rank of #19,921.

What does the Arlow surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English place name "aerr-hol", meaning "muddy or marshy place".

What does the Arlow map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Arlow bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.