NameCensus.

UK surname

Chow

A Chinese occupational surname referring to a chef, cook, or someone who works with food.

In the 1881 census there were 20 people recorded with the Chow surname, ranking it #30,738 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,586, ranked #3,915, up from #30,738 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Coventry, Camden and Westminster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chow is 1,589 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7830.0%.

1881 census count

20

Ranked #30,738

Modern count

1,586

2016, ranked #3,915

Peak year

2014

1,589 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chow had 20 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,738 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,586 in 2016, ranked #3,915.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 42 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Chow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chow surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chow 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 42 #28,691
1881 historical 20 #30,738
1891 historical 6 #33,800
1901 historical 9 #33,154
1911 historical 25 #30,654
1997 modern 1,078 #5,166
1998 modern 1,104 #5,243
1999 modern 1,187 #4,978
2000 modern 1,159 #5,053
2001 modern 1,158 #4,963
2002 modern 1,232 #4,790
2003 modern 1,206 #4,789
2004 modern 1,276 #4,562
2005 modern 1,321 #4,385
2006 modern 1,351 #4,316
2007 modern 1,404 #4,222
2008 modern 1,422 #4,211
2009 modern 1,476 #4,166
2010 modern 1,546 #4,091
2011 modern 1,516 #4,123
2012 modern 1,522 #4,026
2013 modern 1,579 #3,959
2014 modern 1,589 #3,963
2015 modern 1,578 #3,947
2016 modern 1,586 #3,915

Geography

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Where Chows 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 Coventry, Camden, Westminster and Cambridge. 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 Coventry 042 Coventry
2 Camden 026 Camden
3 Westminster 019 Westminster
4 Cambridge 007 Cambridge
5 Camden 025 Camden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chow

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chow

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Chow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Chow 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Chow is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Chow 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

Chow falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Chow is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Chow

The surname Chow originated in China, with the earliest known records dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is derived from the Chinese word "zhou," which refers to a prefecture or administrative division during ancient times. The name is believed to have originated in various regions across China, including Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Fujian provinces.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Chow can be found in the "Qing Bai Lei Chao," a compilation of historical records from the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). This text mentions individuals with the surname Chow holding various official positions within the imperial government.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the name Chow gained prominence in the southern regions of China. Notable individuals from this period include Chow Hsing-Chih (1593-1638), a renowned scholar and calligrapher, and Chow Qing-Yuan (1537-1612), a prominent Confucian philosopher and writer.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many individuals with the surname Chow immigrated to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Southeast Asia. One of the earliest documented Chows in the United States was Chow Ah Chew (1828-1910), a merchant and community leader in San Francisco's Chinatown.

Another notable figure was Anna May Wong (1905-1961), a Chinese-American actress who became the first Asian-American leading lady in Hollywood. She was born Wong Liu Tsong and later adopted the stage name Anna May Wong.

Other famous individuals with the surname Chow include Chow Yun-Fat (born 1955), a renowned Hong Kong actor known for his roles in films like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "The Replacements," and Steven Chow (born 1962), a celebrated Hong Kong actor, filmmaker, and comedian known for his work in the "Kung Fu Hustle" and "Shaolin Soccer" movies.

The surname Chow has also been associated with various place names in China, such as Chow Hsien (or Zhou Xian) in Henan Province and Chow Shan (or Zhou Shan) in Zhejiang Province. These place names likely derived from the administrative divisions or prefectures that existed during ancient times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chow 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 9 Chows recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.90x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 9 4.90x
Cheshire 4 9.78x
Middlesex 2 1.08x
Devon 1 2.59x
Gloucestershire 1 2.75x
Lancashire 1 0.46x
Staffordshire 1 1.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Almondbury in Yorkshire leads with 9 Chows recorded in 1881 and an index of 1011.24x.

Place Total Index
Almondbury 9 1011.24x
Stockport 4 190.48x
Bethnal Green London 2 24.84x
Harborne 1 50.00x
Pauntley 1 10000.00x
Tavistock 1 227.27x
Thornton In Fylde 1 208.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Mary 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Ah 2
Frederick 2
Alfred 1
Anthony 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
George 1
Harry 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Tom 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 Chow households.

FAQ

Chow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 20 people were recorded with the Chow surname. That placed it at #30,738 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,586 in 2016. That gives Chow a modern rank of #3,915.

What does the Chow surname mean?

A Chinese occupational surname referring to a chef, cook, or someone who works with food.

What does the Chow map show?

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