NameCensus.

UK surname

Cowan

A Scottish and Irish occupational surname referring to a dry-stone builder, metalworker, or metalsmith.

In the 1881 census there were 6,126 people recorded with the Cowan surname, ranking it #713 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 10,432, ranked #622, up from #713 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bothwell, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Northumberland and Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cowan is 10,853 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 70.3%.

1881 census count

6,126

Ranked #713

Modern count

10,432

2016, ranked #622

Peak year

2010

10,853 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cowan had 6,126 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #713 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 10,432 in 2016, ranked #622.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,945 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Cowan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cowan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cowan 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 4,133 #692
1861 historical 4,607 #619
1881 historical 6,126 #713
1891 historical 6,921 #651
1901 historical 7,945 #674
1911 historical 2,866 #1,813
1997 modern 10,443 #593
1998 modern 10,796 #594
1999 modern 10,760 #598
2000 modern 10,828 #593
2001 modern 10,524 #595
2002 modern 10,736 #597
2003 modern 10,522 #596
2004 modern 10,453 #600
2005 modern 10,317 #605
2006 modern 10,257 #610
2007 modern 10,310 #611
2008 modern 10,432 #607
2009 modern 10,628 #613
2010 modern 10,853 #614
2011 modern 10,680 #614
2012 modern 10,292 #622
2013 modern 10,448 #624
2014 modern 10,560 #622
2015 modern 10,469 #620
2016 modern 10,432 #622

Geography

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Where Cowans are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Northumberland, Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside, Coylton and West Calder and Polbeth. 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 Bothwell Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 011 County Durham
2 Northumberland 015 Northumberland
3 Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside South Lanarkshire
4 Coylton South Ayrshire
5 West Calder and Polbeth West Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cowan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cowan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cowan, 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 Cowan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Cowan 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, Cowan 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

Cowan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Cowan

The surname Cowan is of Scottish origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic word "cú" meaning "hound" and the word "bhadhain" meaning "little" or "son of". Hence, Cowan could mean "son of the little hound" or "little hound".

The name was initially found in the regions of Argyll and Ayrshire in Scotland, where it is believed to have originated. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of parchment rolls recording the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Cowan was John Cowan, who was a Scottish landowner and laird of the Cowan lands in Ayrshire in the late 13th century. Another notable early bearer of the name was Robert Cowan, a Scottish warrior who fought alongside Sir William Wallace in the Scottish Wars of Independence against the English in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

The Cowan surname also appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and their holdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name may have had English origins as well, although it is primarily associated with Scotland.

In the 16th century, the Cowans were a prominent family in the Scottish Borders region, with several members holding important positions in the local government and military. One notable individual from this era was William Cowan, who was a Scottish soldier and diplomat during the reign of King James VI of Scotland (later King James I of England).

Another famous bearer of the Cowan surname was Robert Cowan, a Scottish philosopher and mathematician who lived from 1774 to 1860. He made significant contributions to the field of logic and was one of the founders of the Edinburgh Philosophical Society.

Overall, the surname Cowan has a rich history dating back to medieval times, with roots firmly planted in Scotland and connections to notable figures in Scottish history, literature, and philosophy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cowan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cowan 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. Lanarkshire leads with 1,190 Cowans recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.18x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 1,190 6.18x
Midlothian 565 7.08x
Ayrshire 560 12.56x
Lancashire 434 0.61x
Dumfriesshire 322 24.46x
Stirlingshire 301 13.70x
Renfrewshire 250 5.41x
Cumberland 245 4.78x
Durham 211 1.19x
Northumberland 181 2.04x
Middlesex 166 0.28x
Yorkshire 145 0.25x
Fife 139 3.94x
Kirkcudbrightshire 137 15.88x
Roxburghshire 135 12.51x
Argyllshire 123 7.42x
East Lothian 96 12.16x
Surrey 86 0.30x
Angus 77 1.39x
West Lothian 71 7.91x
Dunbartonshire 65 4.06x
Cheshire 64 0.49x
Perthshire 64 2.39x
Selkirkshire 58 10.76x
Wigtownshire 46 5.81x
Aberdeenshire 40 0.72x
Berwickshire 36 4.99x
Kent 35 0.17x
Devon 28 0.23x
Essex 22 0.19x
Hampshire 21 0.17x
Peeblesshire 17 6.07x
Inverness-shire 14 0.79x
Clackmannanshire 13 2.64x
Buteshire 9 2.49x
Gloucestershire 8 0.07x
Bedfordshire 7 0.23x
Denbighshire 7 0.31x
Glamorgan 7 0.07x
Lincolnshire 7 0.07x
Warwickshire 7 0.05x
Cornwall 6 0.09x
Morayshire 6 0.65x
Somerset 6 0.06x
Banffshire 5 0.40x
Caithness 5 0.61x
Dorset 5 0.13x
Suffolk 5 0.07x
Sussex 5 0.05x
Westmorland 5 0.38x
Worcestershire 5 0.06x
Isle of Man 4 0.36x
Leicestershire 4 0.06x
Norfolk 4 0.04x
Ross-shire 4 0.24x
Staffordshire 4 0.02x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.08x
Hertfordshire 3 0.07x
Orkney 3 0.46x
Wiltshire 3 0.06x
Derbyshire 2 0.02x
Northamptonshire 2 0.04x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.02x
Shropshire 2 0.04x
Anglesey 1 0.09x
Berkshire 1 0.02x
Kinross-shire 1 0.66x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.07x
Nairnshire 1 0.55x
Royal Navy 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 264 Cowans recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.41x.

Place Total Index
Barony 264 5.41x
Govan 225 4.72x
Glasgow 207 6.05x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 158 4.92x
Bothwell 86 16.46x
Liverpool 80 1.86x
South Leith 74 8.24x
New Monkland 71 12.46x
Hamilton 69 12.84x
Falkirk 62 12.05x
Kilmarnock 56 10.55x
St Ninians 56 25.71x
Toxteth Park 56 2.34x
Beath 49 43.96x
Ayr 46 21.86x
Gateshead 45 3.39x
Newton On Ayr 43 32.20x
Cambusnethan 42 9.81x
Dundonald 42 25.54x
West Derby 41 1.98x
Preston Quarter 39 27.13x
Bothkennar 37 56.41x
Larbert 37 28.16x
Dumfries 35 26.96x
East Greenock 35 8.03x
Abbey 34 4.83x
Birkenhead 34 3.24x
Elswick 34 4.81x
North Leith 34 9.20x
Hawick 33 13.66x
Everton 32 1.42x
Manchester 32 1.01x
West Greenock 32 3.86x
Whitehaven 32 11.70x
Whitburn 31 23.91x
Castleton 30 64.71x
Cockpen 30 32.16x
Coylton 30 47.42x
Lasswade 30 16.44x
Leeds 30 0.90x
Lambeth 29 0.56x
Old Monkland 28 3.66x
Paisley Middle Church 28 10.42x
Inveresk 27 12.49x
Irvine 27 21.80x
Liff Benvie 27 3.22x
Workington 27 9.19x
Hulme 26 1.76x
Kilmore Kilbride 26 24.70x
Maybole 26 19.15x
Teviothead 26 261.31x
Kensington London 25 0.75x
Melrose 25 18.43x
Ardrossan 24 15.55x
Dalserf 24 12.48x
Dunfermline 24 4.43x
Eastwood 24 8.44x
Liberton 24 19.48x
Camberwell 23 0.60x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 23 3.00x
Aberdeen Old Machar 22 1.91x
Slamannan 22 18.28x
Edinburgh Canongate 21 10.34x
Paddington London 21 0.96x
Paisley High Church 21 5.71x
St Pancras London 21 0.44x
Annan 20 17.69x
Campsie 20 16.58x
Monifieth 20 10.26x
Old Cumnock 20 20.14x
Dundee 19 0.92x
Edinburgh St Stephens 19 12.09x
Haddington 19 16.31x
Wallsend 19 6.76x
Colmonell 18 40.15x
Lanark 18 11.61x
Linlithgow 18 15.64x
Shotts 18 7.81x
Sunderland 18 5.75x
Stair 17 89.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 135
William 115
James 83
Thomas 61
George 46
Robert 46
Joseph 33
Henry 21
Charles 20
David 18
Samuel 17
Edward 14
Andrew 12
Walter 12
Alexander 10
Alfred 7
Matthew 7
Richard 7
Frank 6
Frederick 6
Patrick 6
Peter 6
Thos. 6
Harry 5
Robt. 5
Albert 4
Daniel 4
Francis 4
Adam 3
Colin 3
Herbert 3
Isaac 3
Nicholas 3
Wm. 3
Benjamin 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Geo. 2
Jeremiah 2
Jno. 2
Jonathan 2
Joshua 2
Lewis 2
Malcolm 2
Mark 2
Mathew 2
Michael 2
Septimus 2
Timothy 2
Wallace 2

FAQ

Cowan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cowan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,126 people were recorded with the Cowan surname. That placed it at #713 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cowan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 10,432 in 2016. That gives Cowan a modern rank of #622.

What does the Cowan surname mean?

A Scottish and Irish occupational surname referring to a dry-stone builder, metalworker, or metalsmith.

What does the Cowan map show?

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