NameCensus.

UK surname

Calloway

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "cold spring" or "cold stream" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 488 people recorded with the Calloway surname, ranking it #6,898 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 320, ranked #14,096, down from #6,898 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tipton otherwise Tibington, London parishes and Newchurch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell, Isle of Wight and Chichester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Calloway is 595 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 34.4%.

1881 census count

488

Ranked #6,898

Modern count

320

2016, ranked #14,096

Peak year

1901

595 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Calloway had 488 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,898 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 320 in 2016, ranked #14,096.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 595 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Calloway surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Calloway surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Calloway 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 291 #7,827
1861 historical 321 #7,938
1881 historical 488 #6,898
1891 historical 484 #7,621
1901 historical 595 #7,117
1911 historical 385 #9,551
1997 modern 304 #13,409
1998 modern 327 #13,126
1999 modern 322 #13,335
2000 modern 320 #13,360
2001 modern 318 #13,205
2002 modern 321 #13,378
2003 modern 319 #13,263
2004 modern 312 #13,532
2005 modern 311 #13,490
2006 modern 303 #13,834
2007 modern 297 #14,135
2008 modern 301 #14,107
2009 modern 306 #14,218
2010 modern 311 #14,345
2011 modern 316 #14,092
2012 modern 321 #13,836
2013 modern 323 #14,003
2014 modern 329 #13,918
2015 modern 326 #13,898
2016 modern 320 #14,096

Geography

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Where Calloways are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tipton otherwise Tibington, London parishes, Newchurch and Freshwater. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell, Isle of Wight, Chichester, West Somerset and Wolverhampton. 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 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Newchurch Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Freshwater Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 022 Sandwell
2 Isle of Wight 011 Isle of Wight
3 Chichester 006 Chichester
4 West Somerset 003 West Somerset
5 Wolverhampton 032 Wolverhampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Calloway

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Calloway

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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Calloway is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Calloway is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Calloway falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Calloway

The surname Calloway originates from England and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "callu" meaning bald and "wath" meaning a ford or crossing, suggesting the name referred to someone who lived near a bald or bare ford across a stream.

One of the earliest records of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, where it is spelled Calueway. The Domesday Book of 1086 also mentions a place called Calluewaith, which is likely related to the surname's origin.

In the 13th century, the name is found in various forms such as Calweyth, Callewey, and Calaway, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling of the time. The modern spelling of Calloway became more standardized in the 16th century.

Notable historical figures with the Calloway surname include Sir Thomas Calloway (c. 1540-1592), an English politician and landowner in Gloucestershire. Another early bearer of the name was John Calloway (c. 1570-1635), a merchant and alderman in the City of London.

In the 17th century, the Calloway family established themselves in Virginia, with Samuel Calloway (1626-1671) being one of the earliest settlers in the colony. His descendants played a prominent role in the American Revolutionary War, with Richard Calloway (1758-1824) serving as a Captain in the Continental Army.

Another significant figure was James Calloway (1748-1812), a pioneer and surveyor who explored and mapped parts of what is now Kentucky and Tennessee. He is credited with discovering the famous Mammoth Cave in 1809.

In the 19th century, Cab Calloway (1907-1994) became a renowned American jazz singer and bandleader, known for his energetic scat singing and leading the Cab Calloway Orchestra during the Harlem Renaissance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Calloway families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Calloway 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. Staffordshire leads with 62 Calloways recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.85x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 62 3.85x
Middlesex 57 1.19x
Hampshire 55 5.63x
Surrey 38 1.63x
Somerset 36 4.69x
Gloucestershire 34 3.63x
Sussex 34 4.23x
Warwickshire 29 2.41x
Kent 21 1.29x
Yorkshire 20 0.42x
Cornwall 14 2.59x
Devon 14 1.41x
Wiltshire 11 2.61x
Worcestershire 11 1.77x
Lancashire 9 0.16x
Berkshire 7 1.96x
Cheshire 7 0.66x
Essex 7 0.74x
Northumberland 7 0.99x
Durham 4 0.28x
Glamorgan 3 0.36x
Oxfordshire 3 1.02x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.69x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.31x
Dorset 1 0.32x
Shropshire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tipton in Staffordshire leads with 37 Calloways recorded in 1881 and an index of 75.05x.

Place Total Index
Tipton 37 75.05x
Shoreditch London 15 7.25x
Bristol St Paul In 13 52.17x
Freshwater 12 268.46x
Bilston 11 35.26x
Bowling 11 23.49x
Newington 11 6.24x
Battersea 10 5.70x
Brighton 10 6.16x
Whitwell 10 862.07x
Hammersmith London 9 7.66x
Harbury 9 461.54x
Littlehampton 9 140.19x
Old Cleeve 9 328.47x
Portsea 9 4.70x
Westport St Mary 9 294.12x
Bedminster 8 11.09x
Islington London 8 1.73x
Birkenhead 7 8.34x
Birmingham 7 1.75x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 7.95x
Deptford St Paul 7 5.58x
Ecclesall Bierlow 7 7.28x
Foleshill 7 55.29x
Reading St Giles 7 19.93x
Bristol St Augustine 6 39.74x
Calbourne 6 571.43x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 26.39x
Harborne 6 11.63x
Hastings All Sts 6 79.16x
Madron Penzance 6 30.55x
Minster In Sheppey 6 22.26x
Ringmer 6 264.32x
Southampton St Mary 6 9.76x
St Marylebone London 6 2.36x
Aston 5 1.51x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 5 11.80x
Ventnor 5 53.76x
Westbury On Trym 5 15.78x
Whippingham 5 67.57x
Gateshead 4 3.76x
Gillingham 4 11.92x
Hornsey 4 6.63x
Lambeth 4 0.96x
Plympton St Mary 4 69.69x
St Decumans Watchet 4 206.19x
Stogumber 4 197.04x
Toxteth Park 4 2.09x
Willesden 4 8.90x
Wimbledon 4 15.33x
Wolverhampton 4 3.23x
Yeovil 4 25.64x
Beswick 3 20.73x
Buttsbury 3 405.41x
Cardiff St Mary 3 6.56x
Claines 3 17.54x
Clapham 3 5.03x
Heythrop 3 731.71x
Kensington London 3 1.13x
Oldbury 3 9.79x
St Endellion 3 160.43x
Uny Lelant 3 102.74x
West Ham 3 1.44x
Wick St Lawrence 3 810.81x
Bradford 2 1.75x
Braunton 2 59.35x
Broughton In Salford 2 3.86x
Camberwell 2 0.66x
Enfield 2 6.39x
Idmiston 2 212.77x
Mangotsfield 2 21.46x
Monksilver 2 465.12x
North Shields 2 14.12x
Plumstead 2 3.69x
Snenton 2 7.92x
Stoke Damerel 2 2.88x
Wendover 2 64.31x
Woodnesborough 2 134.23x
Worcester St John 2 26.88x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 28
Jane 16
Eliza 13
Elizabeth 13
Ann 12
Alice 10
Sarah 10
Emma 9
Louisa 8
Lucy 7
Annie 6
Emily 6
Charlotte 5
Ellen 5
Ada 4
Clara 4
Edith 4
Kate 4
Maria 4
Rose 4
Dora 3
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Martha 3
Rebecca 3
Susannah 3
Allice 2
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Constance 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Susan 2
Agsta 1
Barbara 1
Bessie 1
E. 1
E.N. 1
Elizabet 1
Ella 1
Hester 1
Jeanette 1
Jennie 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 28
William 26
James 15
Charles 14
George 11
Joseph 11
Frederick 10
Henry 10
Thomas 10
Arthur 6
Albert 5
Alfred 5
Richard 5
Fredk. 4
Robert 4
Walter 4
Edward 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Geo. 3
Amos 2
Benjamin 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Job 2
Samuel 2
Sidney 2
Wm. 2
Caleb 1
Carl 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Fredk.M. 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Hector 1
Jasper 1
Jesse 1
Jos. 1
Jz. 1
Mansden 1
Maurice 1
May 1
Reginald 1
Ricd. 1
Sam 1
Stephen 1
Tho. 1
Thos. 1
Zechariah 1

FAQ

Calloway surname: questions and answers

How common was the Calloway surname in 1881?

In 1881, 488 people were recorded with the Calloway surname. That placed it at #6,898 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Calloway surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 320 in 2016. That gives Calloway a modern rank of #14,096.

What does the Calloway surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "cold spring" or "cold stream" in Old English.

What does the Calloway map show?

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