NameCensus.

UK surname

Bowman

An occupational surname referring to an archer or a maker of bows.

In the 1881 census there were 7,814 people recorded with the Bowman surname, ranking it #536 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 10,630, ranked #611, down from #536 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Doncaster and Eden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bowman is 11,025 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.0%.

1881 census count

7,814

Ranked #536

Modern count

10,630

2016, ranked #611

Peak year

2010

11,025 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bowman had 7,814 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #536 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 10,630 in 2016, ranked #611.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,625 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bowman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bowman surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Bowman 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 5,216 #527
1861 historical 5,239 #538
1881 historical 7,814 #536
1891 historical 8,404 #524
1901 historical 9,625 #545
1911 historical 8,732 #562
1997 modern 10,509 #589
1998 modern 10,878 #589
1999 modern 10,989 #588
2000 modern 10,873 #590
2001 modern 10,588 #593
2002 modern 10,921 #588
2003 modern 10,637 #589
2004 modern 10,501 #598
2005 modern 10,346 #600
2006 modern 10,420 #593
2007 modern 10,456 #600
2008 modern 10,529 #600
2009 modern 10,847 #596
2010 modern 11,025 #602
2011 modern 10,855 #602
2012 modern 10,573 #604
2013 modern 10,779 #605
2014 modern 10,802 #608
2015 modern 10,671 #608
2016 modern 10,630 #611

Geography

Back to top

Where Bowmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Doncaster, Eden and Anstruther. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 059 County Durham
2 County Durham 064 County Durham
3 Doncaster 004 Doncaster
4 Eden 004 Eden
5 Anstruther Fife

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Bowman

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Bowman

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

Bowman is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Bowman

The surname Bowman is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "boga" meaning "bow" and "mann" meaning "man." This suggests that the name originally referred to an archer or someone skilled in archery.

In the Middle Ages, archery was highly valued, and bowmen played a crucial role in military campaigns and hunting. The earliest recorded instances of the name Bowman can be found in various historical records from the 13th century onwards, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273 and the Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name Bowman was Robert le Bogheman, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1230. The name also appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was recorded as "Bogeman" in Derbyshire.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the name Bowman was particularly prevalent in Cheshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire, where archery was a popular activity. Some notable Bowmans from this period include Sir William Bowman (c. 1380-1457), a member of the English gentry and a supporter of the House of Lancaster during the Wars of the Roses.

In the 16th century, the name Bowman continued to be associated with archery. Sir Martin Bowman (1524-1597) was an English gentleman archer and a member of the Honourable Artillery Company. He is known for his role in the defense of London during the Spanish Armada in 1588.

The 17th century saw the emergence of several distinguished individuals bearing the surname Bowman. One of them was Sir William Bowman (1589-1663), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Richmond, Yorkshire. Another notable figure was Thomas Bowman (1617-1704), an English Puritan minister and one of the founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

In the 18th century, the name Bowman was widespread across various parts of England and Scotland. Walter Bowman (1699-1782) was a Scottish philosopher and historian who wrote extensively on the history and culture of Scotland.

The 19th century brought forth several notable Bowmans, including Sir Joseph Bowman (1828-1904), a British engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of railways and bridges. Another prominent figure was Sir William Bowman (1816-1892), an English surgeon and ophthalmologist who made groundbreaking discoveries in the field of eye anatomy and diseases.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Bowman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bowman 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. Durham leads with 976 Bowmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.30x.

County Total Index
Durham 976 4.30x
Middlesex 796 1.04x
Yorkshire 758 1.00x
Cumberland 567 8.63x
Lancashire 500 0.55x
Northumberland 437 3.85x
Lanarkshire 320 1.30x
Surrey 308 0.83x
Angus 299 4.23x
Norfolk 253 2.16x
Fife 246 5.45x
Kent 239 0.92x
Aberdeenshire 202 2.86x
Hampshire 140 0.90x
Suffolk 135 1.45x
Midlothian 121 1.18x
Nottinghamshire 116 1.13x
Essex 113 0.75x
Lincolnshire 108 0.89x
Westmorland 107 6.38x
Ayrshire 106 1.86x
Renfrewshire 79 1.34x
Cambridgeshire 75 1.55x
Leicestershire 75 0.89x
Derbyshire 71 0.59x
Staffordshire 68 0.26x
Gloucestershire 50 0.33x
Berkshire 47 0.82x
Dunbartonshire 46 2.24x
Wiltshire 44 0.65x
Hertfordshire 42 0.80x
Devon 39 0.25x
Cheshire 34 0.20x
Sussex 32 0.25x
Northamptonshire 31 0.43x
Worcestershire 28 0.28x
Kincardineshire 21 2.26x
Warwickshire 21 0.11x
Glamorgan 17 0.13x
Dumfriesshire 13 0.77x
Perthshire 13 0.38x
Flintshire 10 0.49x
Morayshire 10 0.84x
Buteshire 9 1.95x
Kirkcudbrightshire 8 0.72x
Wigtownshire 8 0.79x
Royal Navy 7 0.77x
Stirlingshire 7 0.25x
Channel Islands 6 0.27x
Somerset 6 0.05x
Argyllshire 5 0.24x
Banffshire 5 0.32x
Denbighshire 5 0.17x
Dorset 5 0.10x
Kinross-shire 5 2.59x
Monmouthshire 4 0.07x
Oxfordshire 4 0.08x
Selkirkshire 4 0.58x
Bedfordshire 3 0.08x
Herefordshire 3 0.10x
Isle of Man 3 0.21x
East Lothian 2 0.20x
Rutland 2 0.36x
Shropshire 2 0.03x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.02x
Cornwall 1 0.01x
Inverness-shire 1 0.04x
Radnorshire 1 0.16x
Roxburghshire 1 0.07x
Shetland 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 135 Bowmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.21x.

Place Total Index
Govan 135 2.21x
Gateshead 110 6.47x
Islington London 94 1.27x
Pittenweem 84 150.84x
Barony 72 1.15x
Lambeth 71 1.07x
Aberdeen Old Machar 68 4.61x
St Pancras London 68 1.11x
Dundee 67 2.54x
St Cuthbert W O 66 20.61x
Stanhope 65 27.73x
Leeds 60 1.41x
Hackney London 59 1.38x
Liverpool 57 1.04x
Bishopwearmouth 56 2.87x
Montrose 54 12.61x
Glasgow 53 1.21x
Darlington 51 5.82x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 50 3.78x
South Leith 48 4.17x
Toxteth Park 48 1.57x
Forfar 46 12.02x
Penrith 46 18.95x
St Marylebone London 46 1.13x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 45 4.58x
Titchfield 42 35.63x
Mile End Old Town London 41 2.52x
Westoe 41 3.19x
York St Maurice 41 28.80x
Whitehaven 40 11.42x
Morpeth 39 29.22x
Newcastle On Tyne St 39 6.63x
Dunfermline 38 5.47x
Shoreditch London 37 1.12x
Elswick 35 3.86x
Kensington London 35 0.83x
Stockton On Tees 35 3.20x
Ipswich St Margaret 34 10.78x
Paddington London 33 1.18x
Stoke Upon Trent 33 1.21x
Westgate 33 4.69x
Chelsea London 32 1.39x
West Derby 32 1.21x
Wetheral 32 36.78x
Nottingham St Mary 31 1.17x
Salford 31 1.16x
Caldewgate 30 8.33x
Chorlton On Medlock 30 2.09x
Liff Benvie 30 2.80x
St Vigeans 30 7.86x
West Greenock 29 2.73x
Bishop Auckland 28 9.19x
Camberwell 28 0.57x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 28 0.68x
Evenwood Barony 28 36.28x
West Ham 28 0.84x
Stranton 27 3.53x
Alston 26 21.48x
Bermondsey 26 1.14x
Halifax 26 2.34x
Hulme 26 1.38x
Snettisham 26 80.02x
Eastry 25 69.25x
Kilmarnock 25 3.68x
St Andrewthe Less 25 4.53x
St Mary Within 25 30.46x
Bethnal Green London 24 0.72x
Manchester 24 0.59x
Pamber 24 132.38x
St George In East London 24 3.34x
Ainstable 23 194.42x
Beath 23 16.11x
Brandon Byshottles 23 8.09x
Croydon 23 1.11x
Westport St Mary 23 47.04x
Heworth 22 4.92x
Hexham 22 12.52x
Ipswich St Mathew 22 8.45x
Middlesbrough 22 2.23x
Tynemouth 22 3.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 467
Elizabeth 256
Sarah 215
Jane 178
Ann 139
Margaret 121
Annie 101
Emma 85
Hannah 79
Ellen 76
Isabella 64
Alice 62
Eliza 60
Emily 47
Catherine 41
Martha 40
Caroline 34
Florence 34
Louisa 34
Maria 33
Harriet 32
Charlotte 28
Frances 27
Edith 26
Ada 25
Anne 23
Susan 22
Agnes 21
Fanny 21
Kate 21
Clara 20
Harriett 17
Jessie 16
Lucy 16
Esther 15
Dorothy 14
Eleanor 14
Minnie 14
Sophia 14
Elizth. 13
Ethel 12
Francis 12
Margret 12
Rose 12
Amelia 11
Matilda 11
Rebecca 11
Susannah 11
Anna 10
Gertrude 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 450
William 396
Thomas 244
George 205
James 187
Joseph 181
Robert 136
Henry 132
Charles 101
Alfred 64
Edward 60
Richard 52
Arthur 49
Frederick 49
Samuel 36
Albert 28
Harry 28
Walter 28
Isaac 25
David 22
Wm. 22
Matthew 21
Benjamin 20
Ernest 17
Francis 17
Frank 16
Thos. 16
Edwin 14
Edmund 12
Herbert 12
Mark 12
Christopher 11
Geo. 10
Alexander 8
Fred 8
Fredrick 8
Ralph 8
Robt. 8
Chas. 7
Stephen 7
Tom 7
Anthony 6
Fredk. 6
Martin 6
Jos. 5
Joshua 5
Percy 5
Harold 4
Hugh 4
Peter 4

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 Bowman households.

FAQ

Bowman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bowman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,814 people were recorded with the Bowman surname. That placed it at #536 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bowman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 10,630 in 2016. That gives Bowman a modern rank of #611.

What does the Bowman surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to an archer or a maker of bows.

What does the Bowman map show?

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