NameCensus.

UK surname

Borowski

Polish toponymic surname derived from place names such as Borowo or Borów, meaning "place of the forest."

In the 1881 census there were 8 people recorded with the Borowski surname, ranking it #32,581 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 314, ranked #14,291, up from #32,581 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fylde, Cheshire West and Chester and North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Borowski is 316 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 3825.0%.

1881 census count

8

Ranked #32,581

Modern count

314

2016, ranked #14,291

Peak year

2014

316 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Borowski had 8 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,581 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 314 in 2016, ranked #14,291.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Borowski surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Borowski surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Borowski 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
1881 historical 8 #32,581
1891 historical 5 #33,939
1901 historical 3 #34,063
1911 historical 4 #33,595
1997 modern 118 #24,423
1998 modern 120 #24,793
1999 modern 118 #25,227
2000 modern 116 #25,452
2001 modern 116 #25,089
2002 modern 123 #24,735
2003 modern 127 #24,019
2004 modern 143 #22,471
2005 modern 153 #21,490
2006 modern 183 #19,326
2007 modern 215 #17,633
2008 modern 235 #16,777
2009 modern 240 #16,896
2010 modern 251 #16,749
2011 modern 263 #16,058
2012 modern 294 #14,705
2013 modern 299 #14,780
2014 modern 316 #14,301
2015 modern 313 #14,313
2016 modern 314 #14,291

Geography

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Where Borowskis 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 Fylde, Cheshire West and Chester, North Lincolnshire, Torridge and Cheltenham. 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 Fylde 007 Fylde
2 Cheshire West and Chester 011 Cheshire West and Chester
3 North Lincolnshire 008 North Lincolnshire
4 Torridge 005 Torridge
5 Cheltenham 015 Cheltenham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Borowski

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Borowski

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Borowski, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Borowski surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Borowski household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Borowski is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Borowski is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Borowski falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Borowski is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Borowski

The surname Borowski originates from Poland, emerging in the medieval period around the 13th century. It is derived from the Polish word "bor," which means "pine forest" or "coniferous trees," suggesting that the name's earliest bearers may have resided in or near a pine forest or worked in forestry-related occupations.

The name is believed to have originated in the region of Mazovia, central Poland, where many early records of the surname can be found. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in a 1357 document from the town of Płock, which mentions a person named "Marcin Borowski."

In the 15th century, the name appears in the Metryka Koronna, a collection of official documents from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. A notable entry is Jan Borowski, a landowner from the Kalisz region mentioned in a document dated 1478.

The Borowski surname can also be found in the famous Bychawski Chronicle, a 16th-century manuscript chronicling the history of the town of Bychawa. This document mentions a local nobleman named Mikołaj Borowski, who lived in the late 15th century.

One of the earliest prominent figures with the surname was Andrzej Borowski, a Polish Renaissance poet and translator born in 1534. He is best known for his translations of ancient Greek and Roman works into Polish.

Another notable individual was Stanisław Borowski, a 17th-century Polish nobleman and military leader who fought in the Polish-Swedish War (1655-1660). He was born in 1628 and served as a colonel in the Polish army.

In the 18th century, Franciszek Borowski (1748-1828) was a Polish historian and numismatist who made significant contributions to the study of Polish coins and medals.

The 19th century saw the rise of Tadeusz Borowski (1822-1901), a Polish writer and journalist who founded several newspapers and advocated for Polish independence during the partitions of Poland.

In the 20th century, the name gained international recognition through the works of writer and Holocaust survivor Tadeusz Borowski (1922-1951), whose short stories, such as "This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen," depicted the atrocities of Nazi concentration camps.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Borowski families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Borowski 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. Surrey leads with 5 Borowskis recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.15x.

County Total Index
Surrey 5 13.15x
Durham 2 8.62x
Nottinghamshire 1 9.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 5 Borowskis recorded in 1881 and an index of 73.53x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 5 73.53x
Bishopwearmouth 2 100.50x
Nottingham Standard 1 3333.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Clara 1
Eliz. 1
Helena 1
Johanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Brims 1
Emil. 1
John 1
Rupert 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 Borowski households.

FAQ

Borowski surname: questions and answers

How common was the Borowski surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8 people were recorded with the Borowski surname. That placed it at #32,581 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Borowski surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 314 in 2016. That gives Borowski a modern rank of #14,291.

What does the Borowski surname mean?

Polish toponymic surname derived from place names such as Borowo or Borów, meaning "place of the forest."

What does the Borowski map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Borowski 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.