NameCensus.

UK surname

Bowdrey

In the 1881 census there were 38 people recorded with the Bowdrey surname, ranking it #28,285 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 103, ranked #30,515, down from #28,285 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hertsmere, Hillingdon and Basingstoke and Deane.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bowdrey is 120 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 171.1%.

1881 census count

38

Ranked #28,285

Modern count

103

2016, ranked #30,515

Peak year

1999

120 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bowdrey had 38 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,285 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016, ranked #30,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 78 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Bowdrey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bowdrey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bowdrey 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 21 #29,550
1861 historical 14 #32,072
1881 historical 38 #28,285
1891 historical 51 #30,158
1901 historical 53 #28,271
1911 historical 78 #25,013
1997 modern 109 #25,650
1998 modern 119 #24,918
1999 modern 120 #24,960
2000 modern 120 #24,950
2001 modern 116 #25,089
2002 modern 118 #25,358
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 104 #27,338
2005 modern 104 #27,369
2006 modern 93 #29,411
2007 modern 91 #30,061
2008 modern 100 #29,001
2009 modern 99 #29,754
2010 modern 108 #28,996
2011 modern 110 #28,478
2012 modern 105 #29,362
2013 modern 106 #29,740
2014 modern 105 #30,204
2015 modern 107 #29,708
2016 modern 103 #30,515

Geography

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Where Bowdreys 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 Hertsmere, Hillingdon, Basingstoke and Deane and South Hams. 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 Hertsmere 013 Hertsmere
2 Hillingdon 025 Hillingdon
3 Basingstoke and Deane 001 Basingstoke and Deane
4 Hillingdon 022 Hillingdon
5 South Hams 005 South Hams

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bowdrey

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bowdrey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bowdrey, 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 Bowdrey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Bowdrey 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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Bowdrey is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Bowdrey is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bowdrey falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bowdrey 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 Bowdrey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Bowdrey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bowdrey 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. Middlesex leads with 19 Bowdreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.13x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 19 5.13x
Surrey 15 8.31x
Buckinghamshire 3 13.39x
Berkshire 1 3.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newington in Surrey leads with 15 Bowdreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 109.65x.

Place Total Index
Newington 15 109.65x
Clerkenwell London 9 102.97x
Fulham London 7 130.35x
Paddington London 3 22.03x
Great Missenden 2 714.29x
Sandhurst 1 185.19x
Wycombe 1 59.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 3
Lucy 3
Eliza 2
Mary 2
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Celia 1
Elizabeth 1
Emely 1
Emily 1
Jane 1
Maud 1
Rosa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 5
William 5
George 3
James 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Henry 1
Lewis 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 Bowdrey households.

FAQ

Bowdrey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bowdrey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 38 people were recorded with the Bowdrey surname. That placed it at #28,285 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bowdrey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016. That gives Bowdrey a modern rank of #30,515.

What does the Bowdrey map show?

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