NameCensus.

UK surname

Clow

A Scottish locational surname derived from the lands of Clow in the parish of Dalry, Ayrshire.

In the 1881 census there were 905 people recorded with the Clow surname, ranking it #4,220 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,037, ranked #5,621, down from #4,220 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Marlesford and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Lindsey, Suffolk Coastal and Lochside and Lincluden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clow is 1,168 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.6%.

1881 census count

905

Ranked #4,220

Modern count

1,037

2016, ranked #5,621

Peak year

1998

1,168 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clow had 905 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,220 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,037 in 2016, ranked #5,621.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,146 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Clow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clow surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clow 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 633 #4,103
1861 historical 685 #3,931
1881 historical 905 #4,220
1891 historical 1,013 #4,104
1901 historical 1,146 #4,241
1911 historical 939 #4,779
1997 modern 1,117 #4,999
1998 modern 1,168 #4,997
1999 modern 1,150 #5,113
2000 modern 1,141 #5,114
2001 modern 1,108 #5,138
2002 modern 1,126 #5,188
2003 modern 1,112 #5,127
2004 modern 1,090 #5,225
2005 modern 1,064 #5,282
2006 modern 1,054 #5,317
2007 modern 1,060 #5,343
2008 modern 1,065 #5,353
2009 modern 1,077 #5,417
2010 modern 1,075 #5,542
2011 modern 1,067 #5,514
2012 modern 1,034 #5,584
2013 modern 1,037 #5,672
2014 modern 1,044 #5,658
2015 modern 1,019 #5,721
2016 modern 1,037 #5,621

Geography

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Where Clows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Marlesford, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Lindsey, Suffolk Coastal, Lochside and Lincluden, Peterborough and King's Lynn and West Norfolk. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Marlesford Suffolk
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Lindsey 017 East Lindsey
2 Suffolk Coastal 002 Suffolk Coastal
3 Lochside and Lincluden Dumfries and Galloway
4 Peterborough 001 Peterborough
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 016 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clow

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Clow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Clow household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Clow is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Clow is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Clow 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 Clow 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 Clow, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Clow

The surname Clow is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the late 13th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "cloh," which referred to a ravine or narrow valley, suggesting that the name may have been initially used to identify someone who lived near such a geographical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Clow surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1279, where it appears as "de Clowe." This spelling variation suggests a connection to a specific place name, possibly a locality known as Clowe at the time.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records, including the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire from 1317, where it is spelled as "del Cloughe." This spelling further reinforces the potential link to the Old English word "cloh," as "cloughe" was a common Middle English variant.

The Clow surname also appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where it is recorded as "Clowe." This record provides evidence of the name's continued use and presence in the region during this period.

Notable individuals bearing the Clow surname include:

1. John Clow (c. 1510 - c. 1580), an English landowner and farmer from Buckinghamshire. 2. William Clow (1622 - 1688), a merchant and member of the Virginia House of Burgesses in the colonial era. 3. Margaret Clow (1733 - 1811), a Scottish writer and poet known for her works on Scottish history and folklore. 4. Thomas Clow (1789 - 1862), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London. 5. Charles Clow (1855 - 1924), an American inventor and engineer who patented several innovations in plumbing and sanitation systems.

While the Clow surname has likely evolved and spread across various regions over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to England, where it originated as a locational name reflecting the unique geographical features of the areas where its earliest bearers resided.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clow 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. Suffolk leads with 146 Clows recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.58x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 146 13.58x
Middlesex 96 1.09x
Lanarkshire 86 3.01x
Lincolnshire 61 4.32x
Leicestershire 50 5.11x
Northamptonshire 45 5.42x
Dumfriesshire 44 22.56x
Perthshire 37 9.34x
Surrey 29 0.67x
Roxburghshire 28 17.51x
Devon 27 1.47x
Yorkshire 27 0.31x
Midlothian 22 1.86x
Lancashire 21 0.20x
Clackmannanshire 17 23.32x
Cambridgeshire 13 2.32x
Warwickshire 12 0.54x
Argyllshire 10 4.07x
Inverness-shire 10 3.79x
Kent 10 0.33x
Stirlingshire 10 3.07x
Cumberland 9 1.18x
Durham 8 0.30x
Northumberland 8 0.61x
Staffordshire 8 0.27x
Angus 7 0.86x
Bedfordshire 7 1.53x
Norfolk 7 0.52x
Selkirkshire 7 8.76x
Essex 6 0.34x
Berwickshire 5 4.68x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.75x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.34x
Pembrokeshire 4 1.43x
Dunbartonshire 3 1.26x
Sussex 3 0.20x
Cheshire 2 0.10x
Huntingdonshire 2 1.14x
Ross-shire 2 0.83x
Rutland 2 3.09x
Ayrshire 1 0.15x
Cornwall 1 0.10x
Fife 1 0.19x
Glamorgan 1 0.07x
Hertfordshire 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 0.95x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Framlingham in Suffolk leads with 35 Clows recorded in 1881 and an index of 458.72x.

Place Total Index
Framlingham 35 458.72x
New Monkland 22 26.07x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 21 4.41x
Govan 21 2.97x
Kelso 20 125.55x
Rothwell 19 227.82x
Hoddam 17 361.70x
Barony 16 2.21x
Leicester St Margaret 14 5.87x
Middlebie 14 239.32x
Shoreditch London 14 3.66x
Great Glemham 13 1250.00x
Wickham Market 13 292.13x
Kensington London 12 2.44x
Leiston 12 162.38x
Camberwell 11 1.95x
Corby 11 480.35x
Glasgow 11 2.17x
Spalding 11 39.27x
Leicester St Mary 10 12.65x
Lochmaben 10 116.96x
St Marylebone London 10 2.12x
Alloa 9 25.45x
Barwell 9 173.75x
Hackney London 9 1.82x
Marlesford 9 833.33x
Wainfleet All Sts 9 218.98x
Baston 8 341.88x
Bishopwearmouth 8 3.55x
Blaston 8 2162.16x
Bothwell 8 10.33x
Hawick 8 22.35x
Snizort 8 121.58x
Stamford St John 8 418.85x
Tillicoultry 8 49.32x
Ubbeston 8 1403.51x
Blairgowrie 7 44.67x
Reydon 7 721.65x
Sandy 7 86.85x
St George Hanover Square 7 4.50x
Tormoham 7 9.00x
Acton 6 11.59x
Bermondsey 6 2.28x
Bootle Cum Linacre 6 7.21x
Caldewgate 6 14.41x
Dalziel 6 19.54x
Sheffield 6 2.15x
St Ninians 6 18.59x
Stonham Aspall 6 273.97x
West Wratting 6 335.20x
Willesden 6 7.21x
Exeter St Paul 5 137.36x
Great Easton 5 306.75x
Kilninian Kilmore 5 66.40x
Langtoft 5 284.09x
Mile End Old Town London 5 2.66x
Oldham 5 1.48x
Perth East Church 5 13.38x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 2.81x
St Anne Soho London 5 9.92x
Sutterton 5 177.94x
Ufford 5 299.40x
Upwell 5 121.95x
West Bromwich 5 2.93x
Westgate 5 6.15x
Westruther 5 245.10x
Abernethy 4 77.22x
Alva 4 25.76x
Alyth 4 37.52x
Ardoch 4 120.12x
Barnstaple 4 13.87x
Chilvers Coton 4 43.67x
Creeting St Olave 4 2857.14x
Dundee 4 1.31x
Galashiels 4 13.55x
Ipswich St Mary Key 4 143.37x
Nether Hallam 4 3.38x
St Issells 4 67.45x
Wilsford 4 192.31x
Wolverton 4 36.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 51
William 46
George 32
David 16
Thomas 16
James 13
Charles 12
Henry 12
Walter 8
Samuel 7
Alfred 5
Frederick 5
Joseph 5
Robert 5
Edward 4
Amos 3
Arthur 3
Fred 3
Harry 3
Leonard 3
Adam 2
Albert 2
Anthony 2
Benjamin 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frederic 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
W. 2
Alfd.H. 1
Anderson 1
Ben. 1
Boaz 1
Cuthbert 1
Daniel 1
Enoch 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred.W. 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.Geo. 1
Geo.Fredk. 1
Geo.Thos. 1
Harbet 1
Jacob 1
Jonathan 1
Josiah 1
Lewis 1
Lionel 1

FAQ

Clow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 905 people were recorded with the Clow surname. That placed it at #4,220 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,037 in 2016. That gives Clow a modern rank of #5,621.

What does the Clow surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from the lands of Clow in the parish of Dalry, Ayrshire.

What does the Clow map show?

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