NameCensus.

UK surname

Bow

A surname derived from a place name meaning a bend or curve, typically in a river.

In the 1881 census there were 448 people recorded with the Bow surname, ranking it #7,339 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 683, ranked #7,848, down from #7,339 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Larbert, London parishes and Sherborne. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bo'ness - Douglas, Merthyr Tydfil and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bow is 727 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.5%.

1881 census count

448

Ranked #7,339

Modern count

683

2016, ranked #7,848

Peak year

1901

727 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bow had 448 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,339 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 683 in 2016, ranked #7,848.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 727 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Bow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bow surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Bow 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 613 #4,211
1881 historical 448 #7,339
1891 historical 284 #11,542
1901 historical 727 #6,096
1997 modern 636 #7,798
1998 modern 642 #7,975
1999 modern 634 #8,118
2000 modern 641 #8,015
2001 modern 627 #8,005
2002 modern 638 #8,074
2003 modern 624 #8,076
2004 modern 627 #8,061
2005 modern 616 #8,102
2006 modern 610 #8,182
2007 modern 615 #8,203
2008 modern 610 #8,298
2009 modern 643 #8,143
2010 modern 671 #8,050
2011 modern 658 #8,080
2012 modern 645 #8,120
2013 modern 644 #8,275
2014 modern 665 #8,106
2015 modern 666 #8,037
2016 modern 683 #7,848

Geography

Back to top

Where Bows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Larbert, London parishes, Sherborne, Govan Combination and Berry Pomeroy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bo'ness - Douglas, Merthyr Tydfil and Birmingham. 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 Larbert Stirling
2 London parishes London 3
3 Sherborne Dorset
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Berry Pomeroy Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bo'ness - Douglas Falkirk
2 Merthyr Tydfil 008 Merthyr Tydfil
3 Merthyr Tydfil 004 Merthyr Tydfil
4 Merthyr Tydfil 002 Merthyr Tydfil
5 Birmingham 029 Birmingham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Bow

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Bow

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bow, 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 Bow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Bow 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Bow is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Bow is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bow 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 Bow is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bow

The surname BOW is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "boga" meaning a bow or an arc. It first appeared in the late 11th century as a descriptive name for someone who was skilled in archery or involved in making bows.

The earliest recorded instance of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Boga" in Hampshire and Gloucestershire. Over time, the spelling evolved to the modern form of "Bow."

In the 13th century, the name Bow was associated with certain locations, such as Bow Brickhill in Buckinghamshire and Bow Bridge in Leicestershire, suggesting that some bearers of the name may have taken it from these place names.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir Robert Bow, a 14th-century English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War and was present at the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

Another historical figure with the surname Bow was Walter Bow, a 15th-century English merchant and alderman of London, who served as the Sheriff of London in 1473.

In the 16th century, John Bow (c. 1550 - 1624) was an English clergyman and author who served as the Bishop of Bangor and later as the Bishop of St. Asaph.

Sir Henry Bow (1570 - 1634) was a 17th-century English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire.

During the 18th century, Samuel Bow (1718 - 1798) was a notable English engraver and printmaker known for his portraits and landscapes.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the surname BOW, highlighting its long-standing presence and significance in English heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Bow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bow 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 101 Bows recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.57x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 101 4.57x
Dorset 82 18.30x
Middlesex 68 1.00x
Stirlingshire 64 25.41x
Devon 58 4.08x
Surrey 39 1.17x
Lancashire 26 0.32x
Kent 24 1.03x
Yorkshire 23 0.34x
Gloucestershire 22 1.64x
West Lothian 21 20.42x
Midlothian 20 2.19x
Ayrshire 16 3.13x
Nottinghamshire 11 1.20x
Cheshire 10 0.66x
Glamorgan 9 0.76x
Renfrewshire 9 1.70x
Angus 8 1.26x
Northumberland 8 0.79x
Banffshire 7 4.94x
Hampshire 7 0.50x
Durham 6 0.30x
Essex 6 0.45x
Pembrokeshire 5 2.30x
Sussex 5 0.43x
Warwickshire 5 0.29x
Hertfordshire 4 0.85x
Monmouthshire 4 0.81x
Perthshire 4 1.31x
Somerset 4 0.36x
Wiltshire 4 0.66x
Dunbartonshire 3 1.63x
Roxburghshire 3 2.43x
Oxfordshire 2 0.47x
Royal Navy 2 2.46x
Worcestershire 2 0.22x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.16x
Argyllshire 1 0.53x
Buteshire 1 2.42x
Clackmannanshire 1 1.77x
Cumberland 1 0.17x
Herefordshire 1 0.36x
Lincolnshire 1 0.09x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 29 Bows recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.31x.

Place Total Index
Govan 29 5.31x
Glasgow 23 5.87x
Falkirk 22 37.32x
Barony 18 3.22x
Larbert 18 119.52x
Hilfield 15 4838.71x
Hulme 15 8.87x
Kilbirnie 14 114.10x
Airth 13 406.25x
Chetnole 12 2105.26x
Islington London 11 1.66x
Longburton 11 1235.96x
Carluke 10 49.88x
Sherborne 10 75.76x
Berry Pomeroy 9 381.36x
Bethnal Green London 9 3.03x
Melbury Osmond 9 989.01x
Middlesbrough 9 10.21x
Newington 9 3.57x
St Pancras London 9 1.64x
Boness 8 56.42x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 2.17x
Kilsyth 8 49.81x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 13.18x
Nottingham St Mary 8 3.36x
Bathgate 7 31.36x
Battersea 7 2.79x
Blantyre 7 30.45x
Bristol St Augustine 7 32.39x
Dukinfield 7 10.05x
Dundee 7 2.96x
Gamrie 7 44.28x
Merthyr Tydfil 7 6.13x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 5.09x
St Marylebone London 7 1.92x
Holmpton 6 1200.00x
Lambeth 6 1.01x
Lanark 6 33.76x
Lingfield 6 92.59x
Maidstone 6 8.65x
Mosterton 6 800.00x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 5.48x
West Ham 6 2.02x
Yetminster 6 361.45x
Berkeley 5 67.11x
Birmingham 5 0.87x
Hackney London 5 1.31x
Harberton 5 154.32x
Little Hempston 5 961.54x
Nevern 5 162.34x
Paisley Middle Church 5 16.23x
Westminster St Margaret 5 15.18x
Woolwich 5 5.81x
Bideford 4 26.26x
Bothwell 4 6.68x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 4 32.79x
Bristol Temple 4 45.35x
Chatham 4 6.24x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 3.11x
Folkestone 4 8.85x
Hinxworth 4 579.71x
Ipplepen 4 206.19x
North Leith 4 9.45x
Portsea 4 1.46x
Risca 4 42.96x
St George In East London 4 6.23x
Tormoham 4 6.65x
Uphall 4 35.37x
Acton 3 7.49x
Broadway 3 168.54x
Dalziel 3 12.63x
Edinburgh St Marys 3 16.87x
Errol 3 52.82x
Gateshead 3 1.97x
Hobkirk 3 192.31x
Kensington London 3 0.79x
Milton Damerel 3 270.27x
Salford 3 1.26x
Tamerton Foliott 3 109.89x
Weymouth 3 35.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Elizabeth 17
Sarah 11
Alice 10
Ann 9
Annie 9
Ellen 9
Emily 9
Eliza 8
Hannah 6
Louisa 6
Emma 5
Frances 5
Florence 4
Helen 4
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Harriet 3
Jane 3
Maria 3
Ada 2
Caroline 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Jessie 2
Martha 2
Milley 2
Rose 2
Selina 2
Alfreda 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Bathsheba 1
Bridget 1
Edith 1
Elizh. 1
Elsie 1
Emilay 1
Emley 1
Ettie 1
Hart. 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Jadwioja 1
Janet 1
Jessy 1
Joan 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Ursula 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 40
John 25
George 11
Robert 11
James 10
Samuel 10
Frederick 7
Henry 7
Joseph 6
Thomas 6
Alfred 5
Edward 5
Albert 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Daniel 3
David 3
Isaac 3
Michael 3
Richard 3
Walter 3
Edwin 2
Harry 2
Philip 2
Reuben 2
Cecil 1
Christopher 1
Daris 1
Demas 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Herbert 1
Jeremiah 1
Jidson 1
Job 1
Jonathan 1
Kearn 1
Lawerence 1
Leon 1
Lewis 1
Lot 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Morris 1
Patrick 1
Richd.Hy. 1
Saml. 1
Samuell 1
Zacharus 1

FAQ

Bow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 448 people were recorded with the Bow surname. That placed it at #7,339 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 683 in 2016. That gives Bow a modern rank of #7,848.

What does the Bow surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name meaning a bend or curve, typically in a river.

What does the Bow map show?

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