UK surname
An English surname derived from the bowyer occupation of making bows.
In the 1881 census there were 131 people recorded with the Bowls surname, ranking it #16,824 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8, ranked #37,829, down from #16,824 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Langford, Ulting and Winwick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bowls is 198 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 93.9%.
1881 census count
131
Ranked #16,824
Modern count
8
2016, ranked #37,829
Peak year
1851
198 bearers
Map years
4
1851 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Bowls surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Bowls surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 198 | #10,483 |
| 1861 | historical | 126 | #17,569 |
| 1881 | historical | 131 | #16,824 |
| 1891 | historical | 102 | #23,719 |
| 1901 | historical | 39 | #29,799 |
| 1911 | historical | 27 | #30,437 |
| 1997 | modern | 2 | #38,557 |
| 1998 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 1999 | modern | 1 | #38,820 |
| 2000 | modern | 2 | #38,472 |
| 2001 | modern | 2 | #38,335 |
| 2002 | modern | 3 | #38,152 |
| 2003 | modern | 3 | #38,198 |
| 2004 | modern | 4 | #38,013 |
| 2005 | modern | 4 | #38,078 |
| 2006 | modern | 5 | #37,956 |
| 2007 | modern | 5 | #38,004 |
| 2008 | modern | 6 | #37,883 |
| 2009 | modern | 6 | #37,953 |
| 2010 | modern | 11 | #37,411 |
| 2011 | modern | 9 | #37,598 |
| 2012 | modern | 4 | #38,335 |
| 2013 | modern | 6 | #38,049 |
| 2014 | modern | 4 | #38,376 |
| 2015 | modern | 7 | #37,920 |
| 2016 | modern | 8 | #37,829 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Langford, Ulting, Winwick, Thorpe-le-Soken and Charlcote. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolverhampton | Staffordshire |
| 2 | Langford, Ulting | Essex |
| 3 | Winwick | Lancashire |
| 4 | Thorpe-le-Soken | Essex |
| 5 | Charlcote | Warwickshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Bowls surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bowls, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Bowls surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Bowls household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Bowls is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bowls is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Bowls, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname BOWLS is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word 'bolla', meaning a small bowl or vessel. It was originally an occupational name for a maker or seller of bowls, cups, and other domestic wooden or metal vessels.
The name BOWLS can be traced back to the 13th century in England, with early records showing various spellings such as Bolle, Bole, and Bowle. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, with a reference to Richard le Bolle.
During the medieval period, the name BOWLS was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, and Lincolnshire, where many families worked as skilled craftsmen and merchants involved in the production and trade of domestic vessels.
In the 14th century, the BOWLS surname appeared in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded landowners and tenants across England. This early reference suggests that the BOWLS name had already established itself as a recognizable surname by the time of the Norman Conquest.
One notable bearer of the BOWLS surname was John Bowls (c. 1459-1537), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of York. He served as Lord Mayor of York in 1510 and was known for his philanthropic contributions to the city's guilds and charities.
Another prominent figure was William Bowls (1705-1779), an English mathematician and astronomer. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1741 and made significant contributions to the study of lunar theory and the calculation of eclipses.
In the 16th century, the BOWLS surname was associated with the village of Bowls in Derbyshire, which likely took its name from the local bowl-making industry. This connection suggests that the surname may have originated as a locational name for those who hailed from this area.
The BOWLS name also has a connection to the historic town of Bowls in Staffordshire, where records from the 17th century indicate a family of that name residing in the area. This further reinforces the connection between the surname and the production of bowls and domestic vessels.
Lastly, Thomas Bowls (1826-1912), a notable English cricketer, played first-class cricket for Nottinghamshire and was widely regarded as one of the finest wicket-keepers of his era, contributing significantly to the development of the sport.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bowls surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lanarkshire leads with 13 Bowls' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.19x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lanarkshire | 13 | 3.19x |
| Surrey | 12 | 1.96x |
| Gloucestershire | 11 | 4.46x |
| Middlesex | 11 | 0.87x |
| Oxfordshire | 11 | 14.16x |
| Kent | 9 | 2.10x |
| Lancashire | 8 | 0.54x |
| Warwickshire | 6 | 1.89x |
| Yorkshire | 6 | 0.48x |
| Cambridgeshire | 5 | 6.27x |
| Glamorgan | 5 | 2.28x |
| Lincolnshire | 5 | 2.49x |
| Somerset | 5 | 2.47x |
| Devon | 4 | 1.53x |
| Norfolk | 4 | 2.07x |
| Essex | 3 | 1.21x |
| Suffolk | 2 | 1.31x |
| Sussex | 2 | 0.94x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 1.06x |
| Denbighshire | 1 | 2.10x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.39x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 1.15x |
| Leicestershire | 1 | 0.72x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 0.59x |
| Worcestershire | 1 | 0.61x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Old Monkland in Lanarkshire leads with 13 Bowls' recorded in 1881 and an index of 80.50x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bowls surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bowls surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Bowls households.
FAQ
In 1881, 131 people were recorded with the Bowls surname. That placed it at #16,824 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 8 in 2016. That gives Bowls a modern rank of #37,829.
An English surname derived from the bowyer occupation of making bows.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bowls bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.