NameCensus.

UK surname

Castelow

A rare locational surname referring to someone from a castle settlement or low-lying castle area.

In the 1881 census there were 47 people recorded with the Castelow surname, ranking it #27,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 95, ranked #31,782, down from #27,019 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stockton-on-Tees, North Lincolnshire and Dunblane East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Castelow is 108 in 2001. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 102.1%.

1881 census count

47

Ranked #27,019

Modern count

95

2016, ranked #31,782

Peak year

2001

108 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2006

Key insights

  • Castelow had 47 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,019 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 95 in 2016, ranked #31,782.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 83 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Castelow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Castelow surname density by area, 2006 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Castelow 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 36 #26,838
1861 historical 83 #23,189
1881 historical 47 #27,019
1891 historical 51 #30,158
1901 historical 47 #28,929
1911 historical 62 #26,622
1997 modern 100 #26,901
1998 modern 101 #27,479
1999 modern 99 #27,906
2000 modern 101 #27,555
2001 modern 108 #26,184
2002 modern 105 #27,123
2003 modern 92 #28,974
2004 modern 96 #28,605
2005 modern 99 #28,177
2006 modern 100 #28,283
2007 modern 102 #28,351
2008 modern 105 #28,180
2009 modern 107 #28,483
2010 modern 101 #30,078
2011 modern 103 #29,589
2012 modern 100 #30,258
2013 modern 98 #31,078
2014 modern 98 #31,370
2015 modern 97 #31,499
2016 modern 95 #31,782

Geography

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Where Castelows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stockton-on-Tees, North Lincolnshire and Dunblane East. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stockton-on-Tees 010 Stockton-on-Tees
2 North Lincolnshire 010 North Lincolnshire
3 Stockton-on-Tees 014 Stockton-on-Tees
4 North Lincolnshire 015 North Lincolnshire
5 Dunblane East Stirling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Castelow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Castelow

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Castelow, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Castelow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Castelow household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Castelow 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

Castelow is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Castelow falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Castelow is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Castelow, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Castelow

The surname Castelow is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest recorded references dating back to the late 16th century. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a now-lost place name, possibly from the regions of Worcestershire or Gloucestershire.

The name Castelow is believed to have evolved from the Old English words "caest" (meaning "fort" or "castle") and "hlaw" (meaning "hill" or "mound"). This suggests that the name may have originated from a location near a fortified hilltop settlement or a hill with the remains of an ancient castle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Castelow can be found in the Parish Records of Berrow, Worcestershire, where a John Castelow was documented in 1591. Another early reference is in the Gloucestershire Musters of 1608, which lists a Thomas Castelow as a resident of the county.

In the 17th century, the name Castelow appears in various records across the English Midlands. For instance, a Robert Castelow was recorded in the Parish Registers of Stoke Prior, Worcestershire, in 1638, while a William Castelow was documented in the Hearth Tax Returns of Warwickshire in 1670.

Notable individuals with the surname Castelow include:

1. Samuel Castelow (1670-1744), an English clergyman and author, who served as the Rector of Maidwell, Northamptonshire. 2. John Castelow (1794-1860), a British architect and surveyor, known for his work on various churches and public buildings in the West Midlands region. 3. Mary Castelow (1788-1865), an English author and poet, best known for her collection of romantic verses titled "Echoes from the Heart." 4. Richard Castelow (1820-1892), a British inventor and entrepreneur, who patented several innovations in the field of agricultural machinery. 5. James Castelow (1861-1943), a British artist and painter, whose works were exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

While the name Castelow may have evolved from various regional spellings and place names over time, the core elements of its origin can be traced back to the Old English words reflecting a fortified hilltop location or a castle-like structure on a mound.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Castelow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Castelow 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. Yorkshire leads with 38 Castelows recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.37x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 38 8.37x
Middlesex 5 1.09x
Kent 4 2.56x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 20 Castelows recorded in 1881 and an index of 77.97x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 20 77.97x
Hunslet 9 127.12x
Armley 5 250.00x
St Martin In Fields 5 182.48x
Deptford St Paul 4 33.17x
Headingley Cum Burley 2 68.49x
Brafferton 1 2500.00x
Seacroft 1 454.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Annie 3
Florence 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Charlotte 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
James 1
Jane 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 4
Ben 2
Charles 2
John 2
Albert 1
Alonzo 1
Ben. 1
Georg 1
James 1
Joe 1
Leonard 1
Paterick 1
Richard 1
Sidney 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
William 1

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 Castelow households.

FAQ

Castelow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Castelow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 47 people were recorded with the Castelow surname. That placed it at #27,019 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Castelow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 95 in 2016. That gives Castelow a modern rank of #31,782.

What does the Castelow surname mean?

A rare locational surname referring to someone from a castle settlement or low-lying castle area.

What does the Castelow map show?

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