NameCensus.

UK surname

Bowsher

A surname derived from a geographic location or place name.

In the 1881 census there were 315 people recorded with the Bowsher surname, ranking it #9,393 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 471, ranked #10,456, down from #9,393 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lambourn, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Berkshire, Wiltshire and Windsor and Maidenhead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bowsher is 572 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.5%.

1881 census count

315

Ranked #9,393

Modern count

471

2016, ranked #10,456

Peak year

1999

572 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bowsher had 315 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,393 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 471 in 2016, ranked #10,456.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 512 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bowsher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bowsher surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bowsher 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 236 #9,174
1861 historical 282 #8,895
1881 historical 315 #9,393
1891 historical 438 #8,234
1901 historical 510 #7,945
1911 historical 512 #7,699
1997 modern 536 #8,837
1998 modern 557 #8,837
1999 modern 572 #8,712
2000 modern 568 #8,717
2001 modern 563 #8,654
2002 modern 538 #9,132
2003 modern 522 #9,204
2004 modern 519 #9,257
2005 modern 500 #9,443
2006 modern 492 #9,590
2007 modern 498 #9,592
2008 modern 497 #9,681
2009 modern 491 #9,999
2010 modern 499 #10,078
2011 modern 508 #9,839
2012 modern 473 #10,279
2013 modern 491 #10,158
2014 modern 483 #10,354
2015 modern 480 #10,311
2016 modern 471 #10,456

Geography

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Where Bowshers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lambourn, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early),. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Berkshire, Wiltshire and Windsor and Maidenhead. 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 Lambourn Berkshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early), Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Berkshire 020 West Berkshire
2 Wiltshire 025 Wiltshire
3 Windsor and Maidenhead 003 Windsor and Maidenhead
4 West Berkshire 002 West Berkshire
5 West Berkshire 009 West Berkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bowsher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bowsher

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

Bowsher is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bowsher falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bowsher

The surname Bowsher has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "boʒa" and "scir," which together translate to "dweller by the arched bridge or bow-shaped ridge." This suggests that the name was originally given to individuals who lived near distinctive geographical features such as arched bridges or bow-shaped hills.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror, there are references to places with similar names, such as "Boghesers" and "Boghesovre," which could be related to the origin of the Bowsher surname. These place names likely evolved over time, eventually giving rise to the modern spelling of Bowsher.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Bowsher can be found in the Essex Feet of Fines from 1310, which mentions a person named Richard Bowsher. Another early record is from the Pipe Rolls of Sussex in 1332, where a John Bowsher is listed.

Throughout history, there have been notable individuals bearing the Bowsher surname. One such person was Sir John Bowsher (1579-1645), an English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Tregony in Cornwall during the reign of King Charles I.

Another prominent figure was William Bowsher (1699-1776), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Great Duty of Watchfulness" and "The Christian Soldier's Manual."

In the 19th century, Edward Bowsher (1839-1911) was an English cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club and was known for his skilled wicket-keeping abilities.

Moving into the 20th century, Nancy Bowsher (1905-1983) was an American archaeologist and anthropologist who conducted significant research on the Native American cultures of the Great Lakes region.

Finally, a more recent example is Robert Bowsher (born 1938), an American lawyer and government official who served as the Comptroller General of the United States from 1981 to 1996.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bowsher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bowsher 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. Berkshire leads with 93 Bowshers recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.20x.

County Total Index
Berkshire 93 40.20x
Wiltshire 68 24.95x
Middlesex 39 1.27x
Surrey 23 1.53x
Hampshire 21 3.32x
Gloucestershire 20 3.31x
Westmorland 12 17.71x
Warwickshire 11 1.42x
Kent 7 0.67x
Lancashire 4 0.11x
Lincolnshire 3 0.61x
Somerset 3 0.60x
Devon 2 0.31x
Glamorgan 2 0.37x
Herefordshire 2 1.58x
Norfolk 2 0.42x
Oxfordshire 2 1.05x
Staffordshire 1 0.10x
Sussex 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambourn in Berkshire leads with 27 Bowshers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1179.04x.

Place Total Index
Lambourn 27 1179.04x
Reading St Giles 22 96.92x
Devizes St James 13 359.12x
Newington 13 11.42x
Chippenham 12 209.79x
East Garston 11 2244.90x
Paddington London 11 9.71x
Bethnal Green London 10 7.47x
Lambeth 9 3.35x
Speen 9 237.47x
Kington St Michael 8 1632.65x
Aston 7 3.27x
Devizes St John 7 341.46x
Kendal 7 56.45x
Bishopstone 6 461.54x
Bristol St Paul In 6 37.24x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 10.54x
Compton 6 2068.97x
Whitchurch 6 300.00x
Bow London 5 12.74x
Temple Sowerby 5 1136.36x
Burghclere 4 500.00x
Deptford St Paul 4 4.93x
Fyfield 4 2352.94x
Langley Burrell 4 353.98x
Newbury 4 53.98x
Reading St Mary 4 21.59x
Shoreditch London 4 2.99x
Westbury On Trym 4 19.53x
Worsley 4 17.74x
Barrow On Humber 3 104.90x
Eatington 3 410.96x
Hanwell 3 54.95x
Hardenhuish 3 3000.00x
Hawkesbury 3 145.63x
Kensington London 3 1.75x
Kintbury 3 167.60x
Stratton St Margaret 3 71.77x
Streatley 3 441.18x
Welford 3 303.03x
Bucklebury 2 166.67x
Earley 2 51.95x
Exeter St Sidwell 2 13.61x
Hereford St Martin 2 130.72x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 2 14.05x
Kington Langley 2 333.33x
Northmoor 2 625.00x
Portsea 2 1.62x
St Brides Major 2 277.78x
Thatcham 2 56.02x
West Malling 2 84.39x
Bedminster 1 2.15x
Brighton 1 0.95x
Burton Upon Trent 1 4.11x
Coleshill 1 40.16x
Corsham 1 25.13x
Devizes St Mary 1 36.36x
Longcot 1 243.90x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 7.70x
Nymphsfield 1 344.83x
Plumstead 1 2.85x
Southampton St Mary 1 2.52x
Southwark St Saviour 1 6.31x
St Bartholomew Hyde 1 66.23x
St Faith Winchester 1 34.01x
St George In East London 1 3.45x
St Marylebone London 1 0.61x
St Pancras London 1 0.40x
Stanton St Quintin 1 322.58x
West Bagborough 1 200.00x
West Overton 1 140.85x
Winkfield With Rowley 1 263.16x
Wootton Rivers 1 243.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 18
Elizabeth 16
Mary 14
Emily 8
Ann 7
Eliza 7
Martha 7
Alice 6
Ellen 6
Maria 5
Annie 4
Florence 4
Caroline 3
Clara 3
Emma 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Julia 2
Laura 2
Rose 2
Rosina 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Emile 1
Ethel 1
Evelyn 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Gertie 1
Gertrude 1
Hanna 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
James 1
Joanna 1
Josephine 1
Kate 1
Lelian 1
Levina 1
Louiesa 1
Lydia 1
Matilda 1
Phillis 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 20
Thomas 15
George 13
Henry 11
John 8
Charles 7
James 7
Albert 6
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Caleb 2
Francis 2
Harry 2
Richard 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Chas. 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Elijah 1
Elkanali 1
Emmanuel 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.W. 1
Giles 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
Hy.Thos. 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Jesse 1
Job 1
Jonathon 1
Joseph 1
Mark 1
Morris 1
Moses 1
Prestwood 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Roden 1
Russell 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Bowsher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bowsher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 315 people were recorded with the Bowsher surname. That placed it at #9,393 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bowsher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 471 in 2016. That gives Bowsher a modern rank of #10,456.

What does the Bowsher surname mean?

A surname derived from a geographic location or place name.

What does the Bowsher map show?

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