NameCensus.

UK surname

Cowing

An English surname derived from a nickname for an intimidating person.

In the 1881 census there were 238 people recorded with the Cowing surname, ranking it #11,476 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 204, ranked #19,320, down from #11,476 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Corbridge and Haydon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Carlisle and Gateshead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cowing is 310 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.3%.

1881 census count

238

Ranked #11,476

Modern count

204

2016, ranked #19,320

Peak year

1901

310 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cowing had 238 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,476 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 204 in 2016, ranked #19,320.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 310 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Cowing surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cowing surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cowing 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 184 #11,120
1861 historical 204 #11,814
1881 historical 238 #11,476
1891 historical 248 #12,849
1901 historical 310 #11,393
1911 historical 284 #11,862
1997 modern 236 #15,852
1998 modern 234 #16,404
1999 modern 236 #16,404
2000 modern 238 #16,290
2001 modern 234 #16,205
2002 modern 229 #16,771
2003 modern 213 #17,395
2004 modern 212 #17,540
2005 modern 211 #17,520
2006 modern 221 #17,149
2007 modern 222 #17,288
2008 modern 219 #17,597
2009 modern 228 #17,486
2010 modern 233 #17,606
2011 modern 221 #18,039
2012 modern 208 #18,720
2013 modern 211 #18,872
2014 modern 205 #19,375
2015 modern 205 #19,269
2016 modern 204 #19,320

Geography

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Where Cowings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Corbridge, Haydon and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Carlisle, Gateshead, East Devon and Wealden. 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 Corbridge Northumberland
3 Haydon Northumberland
4 Gateshead Durham
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 046 County Durham
2 Carlisle 009 Carlisle
3 Gateshead 005 Gateshead
4 East Devon 016 East Devon
5 Wealden 009 Wealden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cowing

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cowing

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Cowing is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Cowing 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

Cowing falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cowing is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cowing

The surname Cowing is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "cu" meaning cow, and the occupational suffix "-ing," indicating a profession or trade. It likely originated as a descriptive name for a cowherd or someone who worked with cows.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with early records showing variations such as Cuwyng and Cowynge. One of the earliest documented instances is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1327, mentioning a John Cowynge.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various forms, including Cowynge, Couwing, and Cowinge, reflecting the regional differences in pronunciation and spelling. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 record a Simon Cuyng in Oxfordshire.

The Cowing surname is also found in historical records from the 16th century onwards. In the 1568 Muster Roll of Norfolk, a William Cowing is listed, while the Hearth Tax Returns of 1674 mention a Thomas Cowing in Dorset.

Notable individuals with the Cowing surname include John Cowing (1614-1694), an early settler in Boston, Massachusetts, and one of the founders of the town of Charlestown. Another prominent figure was Ebenezer Cowing (1722-1808), a Revolutionary War soldier from Massachusetts.

In the 19th century, Joseph Cowing (1831-1902) was a prominent businessman and philanthropist from New York, known for his contributions to educational institutions and charitable organizations. Horace S. Cowing (1827-1894) was a lawyer and politician from New York, serving as a member of the New York State Assembly.

One of the earliest recorded place names associated with the surname is Cowings Mill, a hamlet in Somerset, England, mentioned in records dating back to the 16th century. This suggests a possible connection between the surname and a specific location.

While the surname Cowing is primarily found in England and the United States, it has also been recorded in other parts of the world, likely due to migration and settlement patterns over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cowing families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cowing 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. Northumberland leads with 91 Cowings recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.34x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 91 26.34x
Durham 42 6.08x
Kent 27 3.41x
Middlesex 27 1.16x
Hertfordshire 17 10.62x
Surrey 9 0.80x
Yorkshire 9 0.39x
Cumberland 8 4.00x
Cheshire 4 0.78x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.96x
Hampshire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Haydon in Northumberland leads with 35 Cowings recorded in 1881 and an index of 1851.85x.

Place Total Index
Haydon 35 1851.85x
Plumstead 27 102.27x
Chipping Barnet 17 607.14x
Newbiggin In Hexham 11 18333.33x
Alne 9 2307.69x
Byers Green 9 461.54x
Elswick 9 32.64x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 9 30.09x
Westminster St John 9 31.84x
Poplar London 8 18.26x
Ryton 8 329.22x
Alston 7 190.22x
Corbridge 7 551.18x
Thorngrafton 7 3043.48x
Westgate 7 32.73x
St Pancras London 6 3.21x
Crook Billy Row 5 56.50x
Bishopwearmouth 4 6.75x
Coundon 4 142.86x
Morpeth 4 98.52x
Newington 4 4.66x
Byker 3 17.56x
Camberwell 3 2.02x
Norley 3 517.24x
Wallingwells 3 10000.00x
Wolsingham 3 47.69x
Hackney London 2 1.54x
Hexham 2 37.38x
Alnwick 1 16.84x
Chester St Oswald 1 10.78x
Croydon 1 1.59x
Haltwhistle 1 59.52x
Hartleyburn 1 238.10x
Heaton 1 86.96x
Henshaw 1 250.00x
Islington London 1 0.44x
Kensington London 1 0.77x
New Alresford 1 81.30x
Southwark Christchurch 1 9.19x
St Mary Within 1 40.00x
Wall 1 312.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Jane 17
Elizabeth 15
Hannah 7
Sarah 7
Margaret 6
Ann 4
Emily 4
Alice 3
Clara 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Anne 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Eliz. 2
Ethel 2
Isabella 2
Ada 1
Addalaide 1
Agnes 1
Ballard 1
Beatrice 1
Diana 1
Dorothea 1
Dorothy 1
Ellen 1
Emilia 1
Emma 1
Ettie 1
Isabel 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
L. 1
Lilly 1
Margret 1
Martha 1
Maryann 1
Mildred 1
Ruth 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
William 13
Thomas 11
George 10
Matthew 8
Robert 5
Joseph 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
James 3
Arthur 2
Frederick 2
Mathew 2
Timothy 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Bryan 1
Dent 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jas. 1
Lawrence 1
Leslie 1
Michael 1
Patrick 1
Ralph 1
Richard 1
Thos 1
Tom 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Cowing surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cowing surname in 1881?

In 1881, 238 people were recorded with the Cowing surname. That placed it at #11,476 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cowing surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 204 in 2016. That gives Cowing a modern rank of #19,320.

What does the Cowing surname mean?

An English surname derived from a nickname for an intimidating person.

What does the Cowing map show?

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