NameCensus.

UK surname

Cowburn

An English surname derived from a place name referring to a stream or burn where cows drank.

In the 1881 census there were 1,091 people recorded with the Cowburn surname, ranking it #3,645 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 953, ranked #6,026, down from #3,645 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigan, Manchester and Dean. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Ribble, Wigan and Ribble Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cowburn is 1,487 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 12.6%.

1881 census count

1,091

Ranked #3,645

Modern count

953

2016, ranked #6,026

Peak year

1911

1,487 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cowburn had 1,091 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,645 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 953 in 2016, ranked #6,026.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,487 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Cowburn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cowburn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cowburn 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 702 #3,715
1861 historical 727 #3,742
1881 historical 1,091 #3,645
1891 historical 1,266 #3,411
1901 historical 1,394 #3,609
1911 historical 1,487 #3,243
1997 modern 1,014 #5,436
1998 modern 1,027 #5,552
1999 modern 1,046 #5,504
2000 modern 1,056 #5,444
2001 modern 1,037 #5,422
2002 modern 1,040 #5,508
2003 modern 988 #5,646
2004 modern 991 #5,640
2005 modern 986 #5,612
2006 modern 982 #5,636
2007 modern 970 #5,749
2008 modern 962 #5,823
2009 modern 981 #5,852
2010 modern 993 #5,910
2011 modern 968 #5,971
2012 modern 947 #5,994
2013 modern 964 #6,005
2014 modern 976 #5,971
2015 modern 951 #6,071
2016 modern 953 #6,026

Geography

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Where Cowburns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigan, Manchester, Dean, Preston and Leigh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Ribble, Wigan, Ribble Valley and Bolton. 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 Wigan Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Dean Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Leigh Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Ribble 015 South Ribble
2 Wigan 013 Wigan
3 Ribble Valley 006 Ribble Valley
4 Bolton 031 Bolton
5 South Ribble 013 South Ribble

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cowburn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cowburn

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Cowburn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cowburn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cowburn 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

Cowburn is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cowburn 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 Cowburn 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cowburn

The surname Cowburn has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from a combination of the Old English words "cu" meaning cow and "burna" meaning a stream or brook, suggesting that the name originally referred to a stream or brook frequented by cows.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cuburna" in the county of Lancashire. This entry suggests that the name may have originated as a place name before evolving into a surname.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appears in various records across northern England, with spellings such as "Cowburne," "Coweburne," and "Cowbourne." These variations highlight the fluidity of spelling conventions in the Middle Ages.

One notable figure bearing this surname was Sir William Cowburn (c. 1510-1585), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. His family held lands in Lancashire and Yorkshire.

In the 17th century, John Cowburn (1601-1674), a Puritan clergyman and author, was a respected figure in the English church. He wrote several religious works and served as the vicar of Deptford, Kent.

During the Industrial Revolution, the Cowburn family played a role in the textile industry of Lancashire. Thomas Cowburn (1784-1857), a successful cotton manufacturer, was known for his philanthropic efforts and support of education in the region.

Another notable figure was Sarah Cowburn (1840-1924), a pioneering English trade unionist and labor activist who fought for better working conditions and wages for women in the textile industry.

In the 19th century, the name also spread to other parts of the world through emigration. For example, William Cowburn (1816-1892), a British settler in Australia, became a prominent figure in the early days of the colony of South Australia, serving as a member of the colonial parliament.

Throughout its history, the surname Cowburn has maintained a strong presence in northern England, particularly in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, where it originated as a place name and evolved into a distinctive family name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cowburn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cowburn 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. Lancashire leads with 669 Cowburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.30x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 669 5.30x
Yorkshire 325 3.08x
Middlesex 14 0.13x
Devon 12 0.54x
Durham 12 0.38x
Norfolk 9 0.55x
Gloucestershire 8 0.38x
Northamptonshire 8 0.80x
Caernarfonshire 7 1.63x
Cheshire 6 0.26x
Hampshire 5 0.23x
Somerset 4 0.23x
Kent 3 0.08x
Lanarkshire 3 0.09x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.47x
Monmouthshire 1 0.13x
Staffordshire 1 0.03x
Surrey 1 0.02x
Sussex 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 86 Cowburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.62x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 86 25.62x
Westhoughton 77 228.69x
Hindley 65 120.84x
Preston 41 12.15x
Salford 32 8.62x
Atherton 29 63.15x
Otley 28 109.46x
Farnley In Bramley 27 205.32x
Liversedge 22 46.91x
Bingley 20 29.81x
Gomersal 19 38.63x
Sheffield 19 5.66x
Pendleton In Salford 17 11.31x
Westleigh 16 55.85x
Sculcoates 15 8.98x
Clayton Le Moors 14 57.19x
Halliwell 14 30.49x
Little Lever 14 86.79x
Hulme 13 4.94x
Rumworth 13 72.10x
Wigan 13 7.37x
Cheetham 12 12.75x
Chorlton On Medlock 12 5.99x
Cleckheaton 12 30.92x
Manchester 11 1.94x
Radcliffe 10 16.44x
Wakefield 10 12.36x
Holy Trinity 9 3.55x
Huddersfield 9 5.86x
Lofthouse 9 57.22x
Newington 9 31.02x
Stoke Damerel 9 5.81x
Wortley In Bramley 9 10.78x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 8 20.91x
Heapey 8 597.01x
Leyland 8 36.45x
Little Walsingham 8 216.22x
Peterborough 8 11.05x
Rishton 8 54.05x
Tong 8 39.31x
Bangor 7 16.88x
Bradford 7 11.85x
Broughton In Salford 7 6.07x
Chadderton 7 11.35x
Farnworth 7 9.26x
Heap 7 10.46x
Livesey 7 31.62x
Mellor 7 175.44x
Saddleworth 7 8.61x
Settle 7 86.74x
Worsley 7 9.00x
Aspull 6 20.22x
Bradford 6 2.35x
Gorton 6 5.06x
Habergham Eaves 6 5.20x
Liverpool 6 0.78x
Pilkington 6 12.52x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 6 16.52x
Withnell 6 77.52x
Elland Cum Greetland 5 10.54x
Ferryhill 5 45.21x
Hunslet 5 3.04x
Morley 5 9.13x
Normanton 5 15.79x
Scarborough 5 5.22x
Sunbury 5 39.15x
Blackley 4 18.08x
Bowling 4 3.83x
Chilton 4 40.53x
Clifton In York 4 18.15x
Gloucester Barton St 4 32.73x
Hollingworth 4 41.32x
Hopwood 4 24.26x
Huntwick Cum Nostell 4 191.39x
Over Darwen 4 3.97x
Pendlebury 4 15.02x
South Stoneham 4 8.46x
Stoke Newington London 4 4.83x
Tidenham 4 124.22x
Walcot 4 4.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 76
William 53
Thomas 42
James 40
George 27
Henry 25
Joseph 20
Robert 19
Samuel 14
Charles 13
Richard 11
Arthur 8
Edward 8
Frank 8
Albert 7
Alfred 7
Harry 6
Isaac 5
Ralph 5
Walter 5
Benjamin 4
Ernest 4
Aaron 3
Ambrose 2
Ben 2
Charley 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Hugh 2
Joshua 2
Michael 2
Percy 2
Willie 2
Wm. 2
Wright 2
Allan 1
Asa 1
Aubrey 1
Eli 1
Enoch 1
Enos 1
Jabez 1
Jas 1
Jebor 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1

FAQ

Cowburn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cowburn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,091 people were recorded with the Cowburn surname. That placed it at #3,645 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cowburn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 953 in 2016. That gives Cowburn a modern rank of #6,026.

What does the Cowburn surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name referring to a stream or burn where cows drank.

What does the Cowburn map show?

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