NameCensus.

UK surname

Bowater

In the 1881 census there were 438 people recorded with the Bowater surname, ranking it #7,465 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,024, ranked #5,694, up from #7,465 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, Tipton otherwise Tibington and Rowley Regis. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley, Sandwell and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bowater is 1,094 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 133.8%.

1881 census count

438

Ranked #7,465

Modern count

1,024

2016, ranked #5,694

Peak year

2000

1,094 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bowater had 438 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,465 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,024 in 2016, ranked #5,694.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 713 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Bowater surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bowater surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bowater 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 268 #8,326
1861 historical 297 #8,508
1881 historical 438 #7,465
1891 historical 502 #7,408
1901 historical 648 #6,656
1911 historical 713 #5,983
1997 modern 1,080 #5,156
1998 modern 1,093 #5,291
1999 modern 1,092 #5,315
2000 modern 1,094 #5,289
2001 modern 1,068 #5,299
2002 modern 1,081 #5,350
2003 modern 1,059 #5,346
2004 modern 1,060 #5,351
2005 modern 1,038 #5,381
2006 modern 1,018 #5,473
2007 modern 1,028 #5,485
2008 modern 1,033 #5,503
2009 modern 1,045 #5,576
2010 modern 1,080 #5,517
2011 modern 1,068 #5,509
2012 modern 1,055 #5,471
2013 modern 1,058 #5,558
2014 modern 1,046 #5,649
2015 modern 1,039 #5,626
2016 modern 1,024 #5,694

Geography

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Where Bowaters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, Tipton otherwise Tibington, Rowley Regis, Dudley and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley, Sandwell and Sunderland. 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 Sedgley Staffordshire
2 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
3 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
4 Dudley Staffordshire
5 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 006 Dudley
2 Sandwell 014 Sandwell
3 Dudley 013 Dudley
4 Sunderland 035 Sunderland
5 Dudley 009 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bowater

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bowater

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Bowater surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Bowater household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bowater is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bowater is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bowater 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 Bowater 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 - British

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

1881 census detail

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Bowater families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bowater 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. Staffordshire leads with 158 Bowaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.96x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 158 10.96x
Worcestershire 103 18.46x
Warwickshire 68 6.31x
Yorkshire 33 0.78x
Kent 16 1.10x
Middlesex 13 0.30x
Surrey 11 0.53x
Lancashire 10 0.20x
Cheshire 8 0.85x
Hampshire 5 0.57x
Durham 4 0.31x
Gloucestershire 4 0.48x
Derbyshire 3 0.45x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.58x
Shropshire 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dudley in Worcestershire leads with 85 Bowaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 125.31x.

Place Total Index
Dudley 85 125.31x
Sedgley 48 89.60x
Rowley Regis 44 109.48x
Birmingham 42 11.70x
Aston 15 5.06x
Tipton 13 29.44x
Wolverhampton 12 10.82x
Edgbaston 11 32.92x
Manningham 11 21.09x
Walsall Borough 10 89.29x
Poplar London 8 9.92x
Deptford St Paul 7 6.23x
Lewisham 6 7.72x
West Bromwich 6 7.27x
Wollaston 6 169.49x
Battersea 5 3.18x
Bilston 5 17.89x
Holdenhurst 5 21.77x
Kimberworth 5 21.28x
Wombwell 5 40.52x
Cannock 4 15.89x
Claughton With Grange 4 93.02x
Clifton 4 9.44x
Lambeth 4 1.07x
Marple 4 61.82x
Middlesbrough 4 7.26x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 4 20.34x
The Hill 4 111.73x
Wednesfield 4 18.85x
Eckington 3 18.46x
Harborne 3 6.49x
Hoyland Nether 3 28.90x
Oldbury 3 10.93x
Toxteth Park 3 1.75x
Walsall Foreign 3 4.03x
Woolwich 3 5.57x
Clent 2 136.05x
Pendleton In Salford 2 3.31x
Stockton On Tees 2 3.26x
Bangor 1 6.00x
Birkdale 1 7.79x
Blackburn 1 0.74x
Broughton In Salford 1 2.16x
Burton Upon Trent 1 2.96x
Camberwell 1 0.37x
Great Barr 1 60.61x
Great Malvern 1 8.59x
Handsworth 1 2.81x
Isleworth 1 5.27x
Kings Norton 1 2.00x
Kingston On Thames 1 2.00x
Kirkdale 1 1.17x
Langley 1 526.32x
Limehouse London 1 2.13x
Pershore St Andrew 1 32.47x
Sheffield 1 0.74x
Shoreditch London 1 0.54x
Shrewsbury St Mary 1 6.86x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.33x
St Pancras London 1 0.29x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 0.65x
Ulverston 1 6.77x
West Herrington 1 22.47x
Wolstanton 1 2.28x
Wombourn Woodford 1 400.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 39
Sarah 24
Elizabeth 13
Ann 11
Eliza 11
Annie 9
Emma 6
Hannah 6
Jane 5
Louisa 5
Alice 4
Phoebe 4
Ada 3
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Harriet 3
Matilda 3
Maud 3
Sophia 3
Amy 2
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Celia 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Ester 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
Susannah 2
Betsy 1
Catherine 1
Cealea 1
Charlote 1
E. 1
Elizebeth 1
Ellinor 1
Emelia 1
Grace 1
Harriat 1
Henriette 1
Isabella 1
Joseph 1
Leah 1
Lizzy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 27
John 20
Thomas 15
Joseph 11
Benjamin 10
Henry 10
James 10
Samuel 8
Alfred 7
George 7
Edward 6
Richard 5
Arthur 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Daniel 3
David 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Isaac 3
Cornelius 2
Job 2
Noah 2
Phillip 2
Robert 2
Silas 2
Thos. 2
Christopher 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Emanuel 1
Ezekiah 1
Ezekiel 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Jabez 1
Jesse 1
Jonas 1
Laurence 1
Lawrence 1
Levi 1
Percy 1
Reuben 1
Sydney 1
T.V. 1
W. 1
Wm.V. 1

FAQ

Bowater surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bowater surname in 1881?

In 1881, 438 people were recorded with the Bowater surname. That placed it at #7,465 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bowater surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,024 in 2016. That gives Bowater a modern rank of #5,694.

What does the Bowater map show?

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