NameCensus.

UK surname

Bowler

An occupational surname referring to a maker or user of wooden bowls.

In the 1881 census there were 3,653 people recorded with the Bowler surname, ranking it #1,243 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,369, ranked #1,253, down from #1,243 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashfield, Amber Valley and Lincoln.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bowler is 5,904 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.0%.

1881 census count

3,653

Ranked #1,243

Modern count

5,369

2016, ranked #1,253

Peak year

1999

5,904 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bowler had 3,653 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,243 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,369 in 2016, ranked #1,253.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,372 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bowler surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bowler surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bowler 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 2,429 #1,226
1861 historical 2,644 #1,112
1881 historical 3,653 #1,243
1891 historical 4,154 #1,160
1901 historical 4,890 #1,155
1911 historical 5,372 #970
1997 modern 5,542 #1,177
1998 modern 5,827 #1,161
1999 modern 5,904 #1,151
2000 modern 5,805 #1,162
2001 modern 5,662 #1,168
2002 modern 5,705 #1,187
2003 modern 5,549 #1,191
2004 modern 5,514 #1,196
2005 modern 5,427 #1,196
2006 modern 5,412 #1,196
2007 modern 5,425 #1,206
2008 modern 5,447 #1,202
2009 modern 5,616 #1,201
2010 modern 5,770 #1,195
2011 modern 5,670 #1,199
2012 modern 5,445 #1,229
2013 modern 5,544 #1,230
2014 modern 5,577 #1,226
2015 modern 5,465 #1,230
2016 modern 5,369 #1,253

Geography

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Where Bowlers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, St Pancras and Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashfield, Amber Valley, Lincoln, Broxtowe and Charnwood. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood Nottinghamshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashfield 005 Ashfield
2 Amber Valley 007 Amber Valley
3 Lincoln 004 Lincoln
4 Broxtowe 001 Broxtowe
5 Charnwood 012 Charnwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bowler

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bowler

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

Bowler is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bowler falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bowler

The surname Bowler is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period. It is an occupational surname derived from the Old English word "bouleur," which referred to a maker or player of bowls, a popular pastime in England during that era.

The earliest known record of the name Bowler dates back to the 13th century in the county of Yorkshire, where it was spelled "Bouler" or "Boler." It is likely that the name originated in this region, as the game of bowls was particularly popular among the gentry and nobility of Yorkshire at the time.

By the 15th century, the spelling had evolved to its modern form, "Bowler," and the name began to appear in various records across England. One notable mention is in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence from the Paston family in Norfolk, where a "John Bowler" is referenced in a letter dated 1472.

In the 16th century, the Bowler name gained prominence with the rise of William Bowler (c. 1510-1580), a renowned English churchman and academic who served as the Master of St. John's College, Cambridge. His nephew, John Bowler (1555-1620), was a respected clergyman and author in his own right.

Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the Bowler name continued to be well-represented in various walks of life. Notable individuals include Sir Henry Bowler (1641-1704), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London, and Thomas Bowler (1736-1802), a renowned English engraver and illustrator.

In the 19th century, the Bowler surname gained further recognition with the success of James Bowler (1811-1890), a hat manufacturer from London who is credited with designing the iconic "Bowler" hat, also known as the derby or coke hat. This hat became a symbol of respectability and was widely adopted by bankers, businessmen, and members of the upper classes.

Other notable individuals with the Bowler surname include Sir William Bowler (1836-1905), a British civil engineer who was instrumental in the construction of the London Underground, and Frank Bowler (1864-1938), a pioneer of early aviation who designed and built several successful aircraft in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bowler families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bowler 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. Derbyshire leads with 494 Bowlers recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.85x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 494 8.85x
Middlesex 455 1.28x
Buckinghamshire 368 17.07x
Lancashire 282 0.67x
Surrey 259 1.49x
Yorkshire 222 0.63x
Leicestershire 205 5.18x
Staffordshire 197 1.64x
Nottinghamshire 148 3.08x
Bedfordshire 133 7.20x
Cheshire 124 1.58x
Oxfordshire 119 5.40x
Berkshire 77 2.88x
Warwickshire 77 0.86x
Kent 46 0.38x
Hampshire 40 0.55x
Worcestershire 33 0.71x
Durham 32 0.30x
Lincolnshire 32 0.56x
Somerset 29 0.51x
Sussex 25 0.42x
Hertfordshire 24 0.98x
Suffolk 24 0.55x
Glamorgan 23 0.37x
Essex 22 0.31x
Shropshire 22 0.71x
Northumberland 17 0.32x
Monmouthshire 15 0.58x
Herefordshire 14 0.96x
Gloucestershire 13 0.19x
Lanarkshire 13 0.11x
Norfolk 10 0.18x
Northamptonshire 10 0.30x
Wiltshire 10 0.32x
Midlothian 8 0.17x
Angus 6 0.18x
Devon 5 0.07x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.28x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.18x
Royal Navy 4 0.94x
Stirlingshire 4 0.30x
Dorset 2 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.18x
Cornwall 1 0.02x
Cumberland 1 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 70 Bowlers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.44x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 70 2.44x
Princes Risborough 56 193.91x
Wycombe 54 33.60x
Stoke Upon Trent 48 3.76x
Lambeth 42 1.35x
Sheepshed 38 70.12x
Hucknall Under 36 145.22x
Kegworth 34 129.38x
Alfreton 33 19.45x
Islington London 33 0.95x
Belper 32 29.56x
Camberwell 32 1.40x
Chorlton On Medlock 32 4.76x
Glossop Dale 31 11.86x
Newington 31 2.35x
Elstow 30 440.53x
Matlock 30 40.02x
Thame 29 72.41x
Heage 26 88.02x
Gorton 24 6.03x
Aston 23 0.93x
Mile End Old Town London 23 3.03x
Bathwick 22 34.63x
Burton Upon Trent 22 7.81x
Darley 22 97.52x
Reading St Giles 22 8.38x
Stockport 22 5.43x
Birmingham 21 0.70x
Wolstanton 21 5.74x
Beaconsfield 20 100.15x
Denham 20 130.04x
Fenny Stratford 20 98.04x
Manchester 19 1.00x
Paddington London 19 1.45x
Ripley 19 27.53x
Basford 18 8.12x
Bedford St Paul 18 14.21x
Mursley 18 258.99x
Sheffield 18 1.60x
Ashborne 17 44.77x
Brightside Bierlow 17 2.45x
Mansfield Woodhouse 17 53.16x
Nailstone 17 188.89x
Nether Hallam 17 3.56x
Pentrich 17 54.11x
Battersea 16 1.22x
Bethnal Green London 16 1.03x
Buglawton 16 84.43x
Chalfont St Giles 16 103.63x
Chelsea London 16 1.49x
Chilton 16 426.67x
Dukinfield 16 4.40x
Great Faringdon 16 41.59x
Hognaston 16 469.21x
Langley Marish 16 60.45x
Shoreditch London 16 1.03x
Ashton Under Lyne 15 1.62x
Hackney London 15 0.75x
Hambledon 15 81.52x
Hulme 15 1.70x
Kensington London 15 0.76x
Litchurch 15 6.68x
Steeple Aston 15 180.07x
Sutton In Ashfield 15 14.38x
West Ham 15 0.97x
Westminster St Margaret 15 8.72x
Coleshill 14 228.76x
Derby St Alkmund 14 8.37x
Hunslet 14 2.54x
Kidderminster Borough 14 5.14x
Luton 14 4.38x
Macclesfield 14 4.00x
Willesden 14 4.16x
Wingfield South 14 93.52x
Bromley London 13 1.66x
Derby St Werburgh 13 4.03x
Godalming 13 11.88x
Measham 13 63.35x
Morton 13 121.04x
Orton On The Hill 13 384.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 237
Sarah 146
Elizabeth 145
Ann 79
Eliza 78
Ellen 65
Jane 62
Annie 60
Emma 59
Alice 49
Emily 44
Martha 43
Hannah 41
Harriet 32
Louisa 31
Charlotte 25
Edith 25
Ada 24
Maria 21
Caroline 19
Florence 19
Fanny 18
Kate 18
Margaret 18
Catherine 17
Lucy 17
Clara 16
Agnes 14
Frances 13
Harriett 13
Anne 11
Julia 11
Sophia 11
Susan 11
Minnie 10
Elizth. 8
Esther 8
Rose 8
Isabella 7
Lydia 7
Ruth 7
Eleanor 6
Matilda 6
Rebecca 6
Amelia 5
Amy 5
Eva 5
Gertrude 5
Grace 5
Laura 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 238
John 201
George 147
Thomas 133
James 111
Charles 90
Joseph 77
Henry 74
Alfred 47
Arthur 43
Samuel 40
Frederick 39
Albert 29
Harry 28
Robert 27
Walter 24
Edward 22
Richard 22
Ernest 17
Frank 17
Herbert 17
Edwin 15
Thos. 14
Francis 13
Fred 13
Benjamin 12
Isaac 9
Wm. 9
Daniel 8
Fredk. 8
Jesse 8
Chas. 6
Geo. 6
Tom 6
Joel 5
Christopher 4
David 4
Fredrick 4
Michael 4
Reuben 4
Willm. 4
Alexander 3
Augustus 3
Eli 3
Horace 3
Josiah 3
Nathan 3
Percy 3
Samson 3
Sydney 3

FAQ

Bowler surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bowler surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,653 people were recorded with the Bowler surname. That placed it at #1,243 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bowler surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,369 in 2016. That gives Bowler a modern rank of #1,253.

What does the Bowler surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a maker or user of wooden bowls.

What does the Bowler map show?

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