NameCensus.

UK surname

Borrows

A surname derived from the occupation of a money lender or borrower.

In the 1881 census there were 426 people recorded with the Borrows surname, ranking it #7,620 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 304, ranked #14,606, down from #7,620 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and St Austell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Liverpool and York.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Borrows is 503 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 28.6%.

1881 census count

426

Ranked #7,620

Modern count

304

2016, ranked #14,606

Peak year

1861

503 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Borrows had 426 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,620 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 304 in 2016, ranked #14,606.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 503 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Borrows surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Borrows surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Borrows 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 481 #5,186
1861 historical 503 #5,200
1881 historical 426 #7,620
1891 historical 381 #9,213
1901 historical 436 #8,907
1911 historical 408 #9,161
1997 modern 332 #12,645
1998 modern 334 #12,940
1999 modern 344 #12,776
2000 modern 341 #12,801
2001 modern 329 #12,921
2002 modern 333 #13,062
2003 modern 330 #12,971
2004 modern 321 #13,284
2005 modern 311 #13,490
2006 modern 306 #13,724
2007 modern 305 #13,891
2008 modern 319 #13,581
2009 modern 322 #13,741
2010 modern 317 #14,166
2011 modern 315 #14,131
2012 modern 312 #14,131
2013 modern 317 #14,186
2014 modern 305 #14,678
2015 modern 304 #14,617
2016 modern 304 #14,606

Geography

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Where Borrows' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, St Austell, Prescot and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Liverpool and York. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 St Austell Cornwall
4 Prescot Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Liverpool 020 Liverpool
2 Liverpool 035 Liverpool
3 York 022 York
4 Liverpool 030 Liverpool
5 Liverpool 037 Liverpool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Borrows

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Borrows

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Borrows surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Borrows household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Borrows is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Borrows 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

Borrows falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Borrows is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Borrows

The surname BORROWS is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place name referring to a topographical feature or a settlement.

One theory suggests that BORROWS is derived from the Old English word "burh," which means a fortified place or a borough. It could have initially been used as a descriptive name for someone who lived near or worked in a borough or a fortified town.

Another possibility is that BORROWS is related to the Old English word "burg," meaning a small hill or a mound. In this case, the name may have originated as a reference to someone residing near or on a prominent hillock or mound.

The earliest recorded instances of the BORROWS surname can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, a Robert de Borowes is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275.

In the Domesday Book, a survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there are several entries related to place names that could have influenced the BORROWS surname, such as Burghe (Lincolnshire) and Bure (Norfolk).

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the BORROWS surname. One example is John Borrows (1559-1635), an English clergyman and author who served as the Canon of Norwich Cathedral.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Borrows (1778-1856), a British naval officer who played a significant role in the Napoleonic Wars and was knighted for his distinguished service.

William Borrows (1801-1873) was an English engraver and author, known for his work on illustrations for various publications, including books and magazines.

Edward Borrows (1824-1900) was a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the St. James's Hall.

Wilfred Borrows (1888-1959) was an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Worcestershire County Cricket Club in the early 20th century.

These are just a few examples of individuals who carried the BORROWS surname throughout history, highlighting its long-standing presence and significance within the English cultural and historical landscape.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Borrows families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Borrows 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. Lancashire leads with 151 Borrows' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.02x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 151 3.02x
Yorkshire 55 1.32x
Lincolnshire 51 7.57x
Cheshire 42 4.51x
Durham 26 2.07x
Cornwall 20 4.19x
Middlesex 20 0.47x
Suffolk 10 1.95x
Staffordshire 9 0.63x
Brecknockshire 7 8.31x
Essex 6 0.72x
Surrey 6 0.29x
Kent 5 0.35x
Leicestershire 4 0.86x
Channel Islands 3 2.40x
Derbyshire 3 0.45x
Devon 3 0.34x
Somerset 3 0.44x
Dorset 2 0.72x
Northumberland 2 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.35x
Berkshire 1 0.32x
Royal Navy 1 1.99x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Parr in Lancashire leads with 22 Borrows' recorded in 1881 and an index of 122.97x.

Place Total Index
Parr 22 122.97x
Hulme 16 15.33x
St Austell 14 85.84x
Everton 13 8.16x
Liverpool 13 4.28x
York St Maurice 12 152.67x
Marton In Whitegate 11 1100.00x
Billinghay 10 480.77x
Kirkdale 9 10.70x
Boldon 8 178.97x
Bradford 8 7.91x
Eccleston In Prescot 8 31.87x
Gorton 8 17.02x
Great Sankey 8 869.57x
Macclesfield 8 19.35x
Westminster St John 8 15.59x
Bloxholm 7 5000.00x
Llangattock 7 102.04x
Newton In Northwich 7 247.35x
Toxteth Park 7 4.13x
Sibsey 6 394.74x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 3.98x
Sutton 6 35.78x
West Ham 6 3.27x
Boston 5 24.46x
Deptford St Paul 5 4.51x
Horncastle 5 71.94x
Laskill Pasture 5 3846.15x
Oulton 5 289.02x
Widnes 5 13.86x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 3.66x
Battersea 4 2.58x
Bolton In Pocklington 4 2352.94x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 7.37x
Hook 4 43.53x
Islington London 4 0.98x
Mareham Le Fen 4 377.36x
Prescot 4 44.25x
St Botolph Lincoln 4 82.64x
Windle 4 14.21x
Winlaton 4 33.25x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 4 48.31x
Ardwick 3 6.65x
Aylesbeare 3 236.22x
Bath St James 3 42.37x
Clifton In York 3 34.36x
East Hartburn 3 576.92x
Enfield 3 10.85x
Garston 3 20.33x
Glaisdale 3 188.68x
Ilketshall St Andrew 3 441.18x
Leicester St Margaret 3 2.63x
Monk Hesleden 3 85.96x
Moorby 3 2142.86x
Normanby In 3 26.88x
St Sampson 3 53.29x
Warrington 3 5.06x
West Derby 3 2.05x
Wolstanton 3 6.94x
Ashby De La Laund 2 833.33x
Barrow In Furness 2 2.94x
Birkenhead 2 2.70x
Dewsbury 2 4.67x
Goole 2 28.57x
Gorleston 2 15.34x
Holy Trinity 2 1.99x
Leeds 2 0.85x
Lezant 2 186.92x
Oldham 2 1.24x
Stapeley 2 229.89x
Stockton On Tees 2 3.31x
Upholland 2 31.20x
Wainfleet St Mary 2 196.08x
York St Lawrence 2 45.98x
Castle Northwich 1 32.47x
Hatton In Runcorn 1 188.68x
Reading St Giles 1 3.22x
St Marylebone London 1 0.44x
Tetney 1 86.21x
West Retford 1 84.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 32
Elizabeth 27
Ann 13
Sarah 11
Martha 10
Emily 9
Margaret 8
Ellen 7
Jane 7
Annie 6
Alice 4
Betsy 4
Eliza 4
Emma 4
Hannah 4
Ada 3
Catherine 3
Edith 3
Florence 3
Louisa 3
Rose 3
Anne 2
Clara 2
Elizth. 2
Harriet 2
Margret 2
Maria 2
Amielia 1
Beatrice 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Christiana 1
Clarenda 1
Cordelia 1
Elenor 1
Esther 1
Fanney 1
Fanny 1
Fany 1
Francis 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Jemma 1
Josephine 1
Julia 1
Margaretta 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 29
William 29
James 22
John 21
Joseph 13
Richard 10
George 9
Henry 9
Edward 6
Robert 6
Samuel 6
Charles 5
Francis 3
Harry 3
David 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Mathew 2
Percy 2
Saml. 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Andrew 1
Auther 1
Benjamin 1
Charley 1
Charls 1
Dan 1
Daniel 1
Easau 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Fr.Go. 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Fredric 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Horatio 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Jos. 1
Louie 1
M. 1
Peter 1
R. 1
Robt. 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Borrows surname: questions and answers

How common was the Borrows surname in 1881?

In 1881, 426 people were recorded with the Borrows surname. That placed it at #7,620 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Borrows surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 304 in 2016. That gives Borrows a modern rank of #14,606.

What does the Borrows surname mean?

A surname derived from the occupation of a money lender or borrower.

What does the Borrows map show?

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