NameCensus.

UK surname

Bowhay

An occupational surname derived from the Old English word "bowhyge" meaning an archer or maker of bows.

In the 1881 census there were 161 people recorded with the Bowhay surname, ranking it #14,801 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 211, ranked #18,904, down from #14,801 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, Mary Tavy and Chivelstone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Hams, West Devon and Teignbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bowhay is 264 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.1%.

1881 census count

161

Ranked #14,801

Modern count

211

2016, ranked #18,904

Peak year

1911

264 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bowhay had 161 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,801 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 211 in 2016, ranked #18,904.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 264 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bowhay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bowhay surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bowhay 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 93 #17,946
1861 historical 111 #19,429
1881 historical 161 #14,801
1891 historical 176 #16,404
1901 historical 238 #13,528
1911 historical 264 #12,449
1997 modern 252 #15,193
1998 modern 252 #15,584
1999 modern 242 #16,146
2000 modern 234 #16,470
2001 modern 228 #16,525
2002 modern 244 #16,085
2003 modern 233 #16,394
2004 modern 227 #16,778
2005 modern 221 #17,028
2006 modern 215 #17,441
2007 modern 226 #17,103
2008 modern 224 #17,337
2009 modern 229 #17,431
2010 modern 226 #17,942
2011 modern 223 #17,940
2012 modern 217 #18,184
2013 modern 221 #18,252
2014 modern 221 #18,412
2015 modern 213 #18,769
2016 modern 211 #18,904

Geography

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Where Bowhays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, Mary Tavy, Chivelstone, London parishes and Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Hams, West Devon and Teignbridge. 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 Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin Devon
2 Mary Tavy Devon
3 Chivelstone Devon
4 London parishes London 3
5 Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Hams 003 South Hams
2 South Hams 006 South Hams
3 West Devon 005 West Devon
4 South Hams 007 South Hams
5 Teignbridge 002 Teignbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bowhay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bowhay

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bowhay, 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 Bowhay surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bowhay 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Bowhay is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bowhay is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bowhay falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bowhay is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bowhay

The surname BOWHAY is believed to have originated from the Cornish region of England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Cornish place name "Bowhay" or "Bowhy," which likely translates to "dwelling by the cove" or "dwelling near the inlet." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have resided near a coastal cove or inlet.

BOWHAY is considered a locational surname, meaning it was originally taken from a specific place or geographic location. These types of surnames were commonly adopted during the Middle Ages when it became necessary to distinguish individuals as populations grew and people began to migrate more frequently.

One of the earliest records of the BOWHAY surname can be found in the Cornish Subsidy Rolls of 1524, where a John Bowhay is listed as a taxpayer. Additionally, the name appears in the Parish Registers of St. Columb Major, Cornwall, dating back to the 16th century.

Notable individuals with the BOWHAY surname include:

1. John Bowhay (c. 1550-1620), a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Launceston, Cornwall. 2. Richard Bowhay (1629-1699), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Cleer in Cornwall. 3. Sarah Bowhay (1734-1815), a noted Quaker minister and author from Cornwall. 4. William Bowhay (1792-1867), a Cornish mining engineer who contributed significantly to the development of the mining industry in Cornwall and Devon. 5. Thomas Bowhay (1825-1892), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Lostwithiel, Cornwall, who donated funds for the construction of several public buildings in the town.

While the BOWHAY surname is predominantly associated with Cornwall and the surrounding areas, it is likely that some bearers of this name migrated to other parts of England and beyond over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bowhay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bowhay 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 69 Bowhays recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.60x.

County Total Index
Devon 69 20.60x
Cornwall 57 31.28x
Middlesex 29 1.80x
Surrey 4 0.51x
Royal Navy 3 15.64x
Hertfordshire 2 1.80x
Kent 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Calstock in Cornwall leads with 50 Bowhays recorded in 1881 and an index of 1400.56x.

Place Total Index
Calstock 50 1400.56x
Blackawton 21 3620.69x
Hackney London 9 9.97x
Dartmouth St Saviour 8 833.33x
Feltham 8 496.89x
Chelsea London 6 12.37x
Chivelstone 6 2608.70x
Halwell 6 1621.62x
Newton Ferrers 6 1538.46x
Westminster St John 6 30.61x
Slapton 5 1470.59x
Revelstoke 4 1333.33x
Stratton 4 404.04x
Clapham 3 14.91x
Dodbrooke 3 454.55x
Royal Navy 3 18.30x
Bengeo 2 155.04x
Modbury 2 232.56x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 7.75x
St Cleer 2 126.58x
Barnstaple 1 19.01x
Camberwell 1 0.97x
Exeter St David 1 34.97x
Paignton 1 39.22x
Plympton St Mary 1 51.55x
St Mary Magdalene 1 74.63x
Tavistock 1 26.18x
Tonbridge 1 5.05x
Tormoham 1 7.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 7
Emma 6
Ann 5
Florence 4
Sarah 4
Jane 3
Annie 2
Bertha 2
Clara 2
Eliza 2
Jessie 2
Laura 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Adeline 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Bessey 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emmelina 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Hariatt 1
Lilian 1
Lucy 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Rebecca 1
Rosina 1
Sophia 1
Thomasine 1
Thomazine 1
Thomisin 1
Thursa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
John 10
Thomas 8
George 6
Charles 5
Edward 3
Joseph 3
Richard 3
Tom 3
Albert 2
Frank 2
James 2
Walter 2
Abraham 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Bernard 1
Eli 1
Emma 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Henry 1
Isaac 1
Jarvis 1
Louis 1
Mr. 1
Nicholas 1
Robt. 1
Silvanus 1
Sydney 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Bowhay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bowhay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 161 people were recorded with the Bowhay surname. That placed it at #14,801 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bowhay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 211 in 2016. That gives Bowhay a modern rank of #18,904.

What does the Bowhay surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Old English word "bowhyge" meaning an archer or maker of bows.

What does the Bowhay map show?

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