NameCensus.

UK surname

Callow

A surname deriving from Old English referring to someone who was bald or bare-headed.

In the 1881 census there were 1,382 people recorded with the Callow surname, ranking it #2,984 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,253, ranked #2,885, up from #2,984 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Deddington, London parishes and Petherton, South. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barrow-in-Furness, South Somerset and Herefordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Callow is 2,467 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.0%.

1881 census count

1,382

Ranked #2,984

Modern count

2,253

2016, ranked #2,885

Peak year

1999

2,467 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Callow had 1,382 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,984 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,253 in 2016, ranked #2,885.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,054 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Callow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Callow surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Callow 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 958 #2,896
1861 historical 935 #2,963
1881 historical 1,382 #2,984
1891 historical 1,528 #2,889
1901 historical 1,763 #2,944
1911 historical 2,054 #2,429
1997 modern 2,322 #2,678
1998 modern 2,428 #2,677
1999 modern 2,467 #2,661
2000 modern 2,398 #2,707
2001 modern 2,354 #2,702
2002 modern 2,422 #2,694
2003 modern 2,383 #2,679
2004 modern 2,343 #2,711
2005 modern 2,295 #2,725
2006 modern 2,243 #2,784
2007 modern 2,265 #2,780
2008 modern 2,285 #2,780
2009 modern 2,318 #2,818
2010 modern 2,361 #2,825
2011 modern 2,348 #2,810
2012 modern 2,270 #2,841
2013 modern 2,323 #2,834
2014 modern 2,327 #2,840
2015 modern 2,275 #2,865
2016 modern 2,253 #2,885

Geography

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Where Callows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Deddington, London parishes, Petherton, South and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barrow-in-Furness, South Somerset, Herefordshire and Taunton Deane. 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 Deddington Oxfordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Petherton, South Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barrow-in-Furness 007 Barrow-in-Furness
2 South Somerset 010 South Somerset
3 Herefordshire 005 Herefordshire, County of
4 South Somerset 021 South Somerset
5 Taunton Deane 014 Taunton Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Callow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Callow

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Callow is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Callow 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

Callow falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Callow

The surname Callow is of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'calu' or 'calwe,' meaning bald or bare. It likely originated as a descriptive nickname referring to someone with a bald or thinning head of hair. The name is thought to have first emerged in the regions of Yorkshire and Lancashire in northern England during the medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Callow surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman invasion of England. The name is listed as 'Caluo,' a variant spelling from that era.

In the 13th century, records show a Robert Callow living in the county of Yorkshire. Callow was also the name of a small village in Derbyshire, which may have contributed to the surname's development and spread.

Notable individuals throughout history bearing the Callow surname include:

1. John Callow (1822-1878), an English landscape painter known for his depictions of rural scenes and coastal views. 2. William Callow (1812-1908), a British watercolor painter and illustrator, renowned for his detailed cityscapes and architectural works. 3. Sir Henry Callow (1856-1935), a British civil engineer who oversaw the construction of numerous railways and infrastructure projects in India. 4. Elizabeth Callow (1833-1905), an English writer and poet who contributed to several literary journals and published collections of her works. 5. Edward Callow (1887-1952), a British actor and theater performer who appeared in numerous West End productions in the early 20th century.

The Callow surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Callow Hill in Shropshire and Callow End in Worcestershire, which may have influenced the spelling and distribution of the name over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Callow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Callow 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. Isle of Man leads with 474 Callows recorded in 1881 and an index of 140.90x.

County Total Index
Isle of Man 474 140.90x
Middlesex 213 1.18x
Lancashire 146 0.68x
Kent 117 1.89x
Somerset 109 3.74x
Warwickshire 99 2.17x
Worcestershire 89 3.76x
Surrey 75 0.85x
Oxfordshire 74 6.61x
Gloucestershire 64 1.80x
Norfolk 46 1.65x
Suffolk 38 1.72x
Staffordshire 36 0.59x
Sussex 22 0.72x
Essex 21 0.59x
Northamptonshire 21 1.23x
Glamorgan 20 0.63x
Leicestershire 20 1.00x
Hampshire 19 0.51x
Herefordshire 18 2.42x
Lincolnshire 18 0.62x
Cheshire 17 0.43x
Cumberland 17 1.09x
Yorkshire 14 0.08x
Devon 11 0.29x
Wiltshire 10 0.62x
Ayrshire 9 0.66x
Berkshire 7 0.51x
Durham 6 0.11x
Huntingdonshire 6 1.67x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.46x
Derbyshire 5 0.18x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.16x
Caithness 2 0.81x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.09x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.25x
Hertfordshire 1 0.08x
Royal Navy 1 0.46x
Shropshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Onchan in Isle of Man leads with 111 Callows recorded in 1881 and an index of 114.55x.

Place Total Index
Onchan 111 114.55x
Maughold 86 331.28x
Lonan 85 417.08x
Birmingham 59 3.88x
Deddington 42 345.96x
Malew 37 125.89x
Andreas 34 372.81x
Lezayre 31 205.43x
Liverpool 26 1.99x
Braddan 25 136.09x
Shoreditch London 25 3.18x
Bermondsey 23 4.26x
Islington London 21 1.20x
Deptford St Paul 19 3.99x
German Peel 19 98.09x
Toxteth Park 18 2.47x
North Petherton 17 72.28x
Marown 16 260.59x
Plumstead 16 7.77x
South Petherton 16 106.24x
Coventry Holy Trinity 15 11.00x
Bethnal Green London 14 1.78x
Bow London 14 6.07x
Clerkenwell London 14 3.27x
Middlezoy 14 392.16x
Great Yarmouth 13 5.63x
Martley 12 176.99x
West Derby 12 1.91x
Battersea 11 1.65x
Birkenhead 11 3.45x
Brington 11 214.43x
Grimley 11 246.64x
Leicester St Margaret 11 2.25x
Leigh 11 38.30x
Rotherfield 11 40.91x
St Pancras London 11 0.75x
Chelsea London 10 1.83x
Cheriton 10 39.70x
Great Hale 10 227.79x
Haverhill 10 51.02x
Kings Norton 10 4.71x
Neithrop 10 26.60x
Preston 10 1.74x
Ashton In Makerfield 9 14.70x
Aston 9 0.72x
Fisherton Anger 9 30.35x
Hackney London 9 0.89x
Mile End Old Town London 9 2.33x
Ratcliffe London 9 9.00x
Roath 9 6.28x
Spitalfields London 9 6.61x
Banbury 8 35.71x
Bristol St George 8 4.87x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 8 24.72x
Cleator 8 12.32x
Clevedon 8 26.39x
Coylton 8 41.60x
Douglas 8 164.27x
Grenton 8 963.86x
Harborne 8 4.08x
Leeds 8 0.79x
Lewisham 8 2.43x
Northrepps 8 225.35x
Wanstead 8 12.78x
Westbury On Severn East 8 9.96x
Bengeworth 7 86.00x
Bristol St James St Paul 7 5.91x
Great Little Marsden 7 7.11x
Hinckley 7 14.69x
Ingoldsby 7 309.73x
Rushen 7 30.77x
Sedgley 7 3.08x
Stoke Newington London 7 4.96x
Stone 7 180.41x
Tipton 7 3.74x
Wells St Cuthbert 7 35.18x
West Dean 7 12.13x
Bedminster 6 2.19x
Hallow 6 51.81x
Whitehaven 6 7.22x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 137
John 128
James 75
Thomas 66
George 45
Charles 43
Edward 37
Henry 33
Joseph 25
Robert 24
Alfred 22
Walter 14
Arthur 13
Frederick 13
Daniel 11
Albert 10
Herbert 10
Samuel 10
Francis 8
Ernest 7
Frank 7
Harry 7
Benjamin 6
David 6
Richard 5
Evan 4
Geo. 4
Fredrick 3
Harvey 3
Hugh 3
Job 3
Cecil 2
Christopher 2
Edwin 2
Esau 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Jno. 2
Jonathan 2
Louis 2
Michael 2
Reuben 2
Robt. 2
Sidney 2
Stanley 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Cathren 1
Elie 1
Eustace 1

FAQ

Callow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Callow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,382 people were recorded with the Callow surname. That placed it at #2,984 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Callow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,253 in 2016. That gives Callow a modern rank of #2,885.

What does the Callow surname mean?

A surname deriving from Old English referring to someone who was bald or bare-headed.

What does the Callow map show?

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