NameCensus.

UK surname

Bowden

Habitational surname referring to any of several places in England named Bowden, derived from Old English "boga" meaning "bow" and "dun" meaning "hill."

In the 1881 census there were 8,607 people recorded with the Bowden surname, ranking it #490 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 11,115, ranked #578, down from #490 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Stockport and Glossop. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Devon, West Devon and Torridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bowden is 11,872 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.1%.

1881 census count

8,607

Ranked #490

Modern count

11,115

2016, ranked #578

Peak year

1999

11,872 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bowden had 8,607 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #490 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 11,115 in 2016, ranked #578.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 11,726 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bowden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bowden surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Bowden 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 5,426 #509
1861 historical 5,082 #553
1881 historical 8,607 #490
1891 historical 9,096 #484
1901 historical 11,044 #474
1911 historical 11,726 #419
1997 modern 11,279 #542
1998 modern 11,840 #537
1999 modern 11,872 #540
2000 modern 11,705 #545
2001 modern 11,406 #545
2002 modern 11,644 #545
2003 modern 11,327 #548
2004 modern 11,300 #550
2005 modern 11,053 #556
2006 modern 11,046 #557
2007 modern 11,078 #561
2008 modern 11,139 #565
2009 modern 11,340 #567
2010 modern 11,551 #570
2011 modern 11,404 #570
2012 modern 11,078 #573
2013 modern 11,307 #571
2014 modern 11,341 #573
2015 modern 11,170 #575
2016 modern 11,115 #578

Geography

Back to top

Where Bowdens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Stockport, Glossop and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Devon, West Devon, Torridge and Cornwall. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Glossop Derbyshire
4 London parishes London 1
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Devon 002 North Devon
2 West Devon 003 West Devon
3 Torridge 001 Torridge
4 North Devon 013 North Devon
5 Cornwall 053 Cornwall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Bowden

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Bowden

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bowden 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

Bowden is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bowden 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 Bowden 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 Bowden, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bowden

The surname Bowden is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "boga" meaning "bow" and "denu" meaning "valley" or "deep wooded valley." The name likely referred to someone who lived in a bow-shaped valley or a valley where bowyers, makers of bows, resided.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as Bogedene, referring to a place in Buckinghamshire. Other early variations of the spelling include Bogheden, Boghedene, and Boughden.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert de Bogheden, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199. In the 13th century, the name appears in various records, such as the Assize Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1260, where a John de Bogheden is mentioned.

Bowden is also a place name found in various parts of England, including Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Wiltshire. Some of these place names may have contributed to the spread of the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Bowden include:

1. Sir William Bowden (c. 1493-1545), an English courtier and Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. 2. John Bowden (c. 1598-1668), an English clergyman and author best known for his work "The Unveiled Truth." 3. Benjamin Bowden (1734-1804), an English Baptist minister and writer who served as the pastor of the Particular Baptist Church in Bourton-on-the-Water. 4. John Bowden (1787-1859), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a rear admiral. 5. Frank Bowden (1848-1904), an English industrialist and co-founder of the Raleigh Bicycle Company in Nottingham.

The surname Bowden continues to be found throughout England and other parts of the English-speaking world, reflecting its rich history and origins rooted in the medieval era.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Bowden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bowden 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. Devon leads with 1,867 Bowdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.64x.

County Total Index
Devon 1,867 10.64x
Lancashire 1,173 1.17x
Middlesex 885 1.05x
Cheshire 685 3.68x
Cornwall 512 5.36x
Surrey 408 0.99x
Derbyshire 406 3.08x
Somerset 351 2.59x
Gloucestershire 217 1.31x
Yorkshire 211 0.25x
Glamorgan 186 1.27x
Durham 137 0.55x
Kent 136 0.47x
Staffordshire 128 0.45x
Hampshire 111 0.64x
Buckinghamshire 101 1.98x
Essex 97 0.58x
Angus 78 1.00x
Northumberland 77 0.61x
Midlothian 69 0.61x
Wiltshire 68 0.91x
Oxfordshire 67 1.29x
Warwickshire 66 0.31x
Norfolk 65 0.50x
Berkshire 64 1.01x
Sussex 55 0.39x
Cumberland 41 0.56x
Dorset 36 0.65x
Bedfordshire 34 0.78x
Lanarkshire 34 0.12x
Monmouthshire 33 0.54x
Shropshire 25 0.34x
Worcestershire 22 0.20x
Channel Islands 20 0.80x
Hertfordshire 18 0.31x
Royal Navy 18 1.79x
Leicestershire 17 0.18x
Fife 16 0.32x
Northamptonshire 13 0.16x
Flintshire 10 0.44x
Herefordshire 10 0.29x
Pembrokeshire 10 0.37x
Dunbartonshire 9 0.40x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.08x
Kirkcudbrightshire 6 0.49x
Perthshire 6 0.16x
Stirlingshire 6 0.19x
Caernarfonshire 5 0.15x
Renfrewshire 4 0.06x
Ayrshire 3 0.05x
Clackmannanshire 3 0.43x
East Lothian 3 0.27x
Lincolnshire 2 0.01x
Argyllshire 1 0.04x
Brecknockshire 1 0.06x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.02x
Denbighshire 1 0.03x
Kincardineshire 1 0.10x
Merionethshire 1 0.06x
Morayshire 1 0.08x
Suffolk 1 0.01x
Westmorland 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glossop Dale in Derbyshire leads with 179 Bowdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.96x.

Place Total Index
Glossop Dale 179 28.96x
Stockport 139 14.51x
Tormoham 115 15.49x
Stoke Damerel 108 8.79x
Bedminster 93 7.29x
Plymouth St Andrew 89 6.58x
Lambeth 85 1.16x
St Marylebone London 85 1.89x
Oldham 80 2.48x
Exeter St Sidwell 77 19.16x
Manchester 74 1.64x
Dukinfield 67 7.79x
Islington London 65 0.80x
Barnstaple 64 23.24x
Hackney London 64 1.35x
Wolborough 61 27.50x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 59 3.79x
Heaton Norris 59 10.36x
Salford 59 2.01x
Kensington London 54 1.15x
Hyde 53 9.65x
St Pancras London 53 0.78x
Marple 52 40.70x
Portsea 51 1.51x
Beard 50 116.44x
Stoke Upon Trent 50 1.66x
Newington 49 1.57x
Plymouth Charles The 49 6.34x
Hayfield 46 56.81x
Toxteth Park 46 1.36x
Constantine 45 81.01x
Ashton Under Lyne 44 2.01x
Clase 44 8.06x
Disley Stanley 44 45.92x
Aston 42 0.72x
Bideford 42 22.34x
Camberwell 42 0.78x
West Ham 42 1.14x
Chelsea London 41 1.61x
Shoreditch London 41 1.12x
South Molton 41 42.53x
Falmouth 40 11.84x
Paddington London 40 1.29x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 39 0.86x
Liverpool 38 0.63x
Clerkenwell London 36 1.81x
Exeter St David 36 24.01x
Barrow In Furness 34 2.50x
Phillack 34 27.60x
St George Hanover Square 34 2.29x
Tiverton 34 11.25x
Battersea 32 1.03x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 32 36.85x
Hulme 32 1.53x
Saddleworth 32 4.97x
Normanby In 30 13.43x
Westhoughton 30 11.24x
Bradford 29 6.19x
Hampstead London 28 2.13x
Gorton 27 2.87x
Plumstead 27 2.82x
Hammersmith London 26 1.25x
Ludworth 26 41.83x
Southwark St George Martyr 26 1.53x
West Looe 26 103.46x
Bootle Cum Linacre 25 3.15x
Budock 25 34.80x
Chagford 25 59.50x
Chorlton On Medlock 25 1.57x
Clifton 25 2.99x
Northam 25 19.55x
Sithney 25 25.92x
Dundee 24 0.82x
Mile End Old Town London 24 1.34x
Warrington 24 2.02x
Farnworth 23 3.84x
Old Cleeve 23 47.47x
Great Bolton 22 1.66x
Great Torrington 22 22.11x
Highweek 22 35.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 634
Elizabeth 395
Sarah 259
Jane 165
Ann 150
Eliza 144
Alice 131
Ellen 128
Emily 124
Emma 118
Annie 116
Hannah 94
Martha 79
Louisa 78
Margaret 62
Maria 58
Harriet 55
Susan 54
Catherine 50
Edith 50
Florence 48
Caroline 38
Fanny 38
Charlotte 36
Ada 31
Amelia 31
Anne 31
Bessie 31
Clara 30
Frances 27
Lucy 27
Agnes 24
Grace 23
Jessie 23
Matilda 23
Rose 23
Esther 22
Harriett 22
Isabella 20
Rebecca 20
Elizth. 17
Ethel 17
Kate 17
Ruth 17
Julia 16
Sophia 16
Eleanor 15
Anna 14
Beatrice 14
Minnie 14

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 589
John 542
James 292
Thomas 290
George 266
Joseph 151
Henry 144
Charles 128
Robert 108
Samuel 108
Edward 90
Richard 83
Frederick 80
Alfred 73
Arthur 59
Albert 52
Walter 46
Ernest 43
Harry 40
Herbert 35
Edwin 34
Frank 33
Wm. 27
Benjamin 23
Francis 23
Isaac 15
Josiah 15
Thos. 15
David 14
Fred 14
Peter 13
Tom 12
Daniel 11
Geo. 11
Joe 10
Mark 10
Hugh 9
Sidney 9
W. 8
Willm. 8
Anthony 7
Fredrick 7
Stephen 7
Abraham 6
Fredk. 6
Jas. 6
Jonathan 6
Leigh 6
Sydney 6
Matthew 5

FAQ

Bowden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bowden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8,607 people were recorded with the Bowden surname. That placed it at #490 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bowden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 11,115 in 2016. That gives Bowden a modern rank of #578.

What does the Bowden surname mean?

Habitational surname referring to any of several places in England named Bowden, derived from Old English "boga" meaning "bow" and "dun" meaning "hill."

What does the Bowden map show?

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