NameCensus.

UK surname

Cowling

An English occupational surname referring to a maker of cowls or hoods.

In the 1881 census there were 2,629 people recorded with the Cowling surname, ranking it #1,689 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,486, ranked #1,944, down from #1,689 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Agnes, London parishes and Scarborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cowling is 3,812 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.6%.

1881 census count

2,629

Ranked #1,689

Modern count

3,486

2016, ranked #1,944

Peak year

1999

3,812 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cowling had 2,629 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,689 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,486 in 2016, ranked #1,944.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,559 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cowling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cowling surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cowling 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 1,718 #1,680
1861 historical 1,700 #1,685
1881 historical 2,629 #1,689
1891 historical 2,737 #1,726
1901 historical 3,252 #1,714
1911 historical 3,559 #1,467
1997 modern 3,727 #1,737
1998 modern 3,782 #1,781
1999 modern 3,812 #1,781
2000 modern 3,798 #1,780
2001 modern 3,690 #1,787
2002 modern 3,779 #1,793
2003 modern 3,680 #1,804
2004 modern 3,610 #1,833
2005 modern 3,566 #1,834
2006 modern 3,603 #1,809
2007 modern 3,601 #1,829
2008 modern 3,588 #1,849
2009 modern 3,666 #1,856
2010 modern 3,723 #1,868
2011 modern 3,703 #1,856
2012 modern 3,586 #1,875
2013 modern 3,632 #1,889
2014 modern 3,647 #1,892
2015 modern 3,559 #1,916
2016 modern 3,486 #1,944

Geography

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Where Cowlings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Agnes, London parishes, Scarborough, Liskeard, St Cleer and Ripon. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 St Agnes Cornwall
2 London parishes London 3
3 Scarborough Yorkshire, North Riding
4 Liskeard, St Cleer Cornwall
5 Ripon Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 008 Cornwall
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 040 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 038 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Cornwall 003 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 018 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cowling

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cowling

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Cowling surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cowling 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Cowling 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

Cowling is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Cowling

The surname Cowling is of English origin, and it first appeared in the northern regions of England during the late medieval period. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "cu" and "hyll," which together mean "cow hill" or "cow pasture."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Cowling surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Cullinges." This entry suggests that the name was already in use during the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various records as "Culing," "Culyng," and "Culyng de Couelynge." These spellings indicate that the name was closely associated with the village of Cowling, located in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Historically, the Cowling family was prominent in Yorkshire, where they held lands and estates. One notable figure was Sir Ralph Cowling (1585-1673), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Aldborough in the 17th century.

Another significant individual bearing the Cowling surname was Richard Cowling (1734-1809), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Overstone in Northamptonshire.

In the 18th century, the Cowling name gained recognition through the work of Benjamin Cowling (1737-1808), a renowned English engraver and illustrator who produced notable works such as "Views of the Lakes of Cumberland and Westmoreland."

Moving into the 19th century, George Cowling (1809-1875) was a prominent English cricket player who represented Yorkshire County Cricket Club and is remembered as one of the earliest professional cricketers.

Lastly, Sir Frederic Cowling (1863-1948) was a notable British civil engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the design and construction of dams and reservoirs.

These examples demonstrate the historical significance and widespread presence of the Cowling surname across various fields, including politics, religion, art, sports, and engineering.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cowling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cowling 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 921 Cowlings recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.62x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 921 3.62x
Cornwall 493 16.94x
Middlesex 138 0.54x
Devon 136 2.54x
Lincolnshire 123 2.99x
Surrey 116 0.93x
Lancashire 115 0.38x
Cambridgeshire 88 5.41x
Durham 85 1.11x
Kent 65 0.74x
Essex 54 1.06x
Suffolk 31 0.99x
Cheshire 30 0.53x
Norfolk 27 0.68x
Huntingdonshire 24 4.70x
Leicestershire 21 0.74x
Berkshire 20 1.04x
Somerset 18 0.44x
Gloucestershire 14 0.28x
Northumberland 14 0.37x
Warwickshire 14 0.22x
Hampshire 10 0.19x
Sussex 10 0.23x
Northamptonshire 9 0.37x
Cumberland 7 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.20x
Carmarthenshire 6 0.55x
Channel Islands 6 0.79x
Derbyshire 6 0.15x
Glamorgan 6 0.13x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.13x
Midlothian 2 0.06x
Monmouthshire 2 0.11x
Perthshire 2 0.17x
Royal Navy 2 0.65x
Worcestershire 2 0.06x
Bedfordshire 1 0.08x
Dorset 1 0.06x
Fife 1 0.07x
Hertfordshire 1 0.06x
Oxfordshire 1 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.12x
Wigtownshire 1 0.29x
Wiltshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 75 Cowlings recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.21x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 75 5.21x
Scarborough 66 28.52x
Wortley In Bramley 48 23.79x
Crowle 45 179.93x
St Teath 40 228.18x
Lambeth 38 1.70x
St Cleer 36 142.69x
High Low Bishopside 34 150.51x
St Agnes 32 78.51x
Padstow 26 134.44x
St Kew 25 257.73x
Deptford St Paul 23 3.40x
Castle Camps 22 281.33x
Kildwick 22 94.87x
Filey 20 97.18x
Holy Trinity 20 3.26x
Stradbroke 20 189.04x
Whittlesey St Mary St 20 35.17x
Hackney London 19 1.32x
Easingwold 18 100.11x
Oldham 18 1.83x
Bradford 17 2.76x
Dukinfield 17 6.48x
Kenwyn 17 22.34x
St Ives 17 29.86x
Stoke Damerel 17 4.54x
Swinefleet 17 154.69x
Wakefield 16 8.18x
Davidstow 15 417.83x
Headingley Cum Burley 15 9.15x
Hunslet 15 3.78x
Newington 15 1.58x
St Stephen In Brannel 15 56.50x
Thornhill 15 20.18x
Holbeck 14 8.30x
Luddington 14 266.67x
Camborne 13 10.84x
Costessey 13 152.94x
Dewsbury 13 4.98x
Ecclesall Bierlow 13 2.51x
Greenwich 13 3.18x
Islington London 13 0.52x
Laughton In Gainsborough 13 500.00x
Leicester St Margaret 13 1.87x
St Endellion 13 128.97x
York St Cuthbert 13 55.75x
Birmingham 12 0.56x
Blisland 12 245.40x
Boyton 12 356.08x
Bridlington 12 20.58x
Chadderton 12 8.05x
Silsden 12 159.79x
Batley 11 4.54x
Brixham 11 17.74x
Coleby West Halton 11 502.28x
Crosby West Halton 11 1594.20x
Farnley In Bramley 11 34.59x
Fountains Earth 11 387.32x
Gainsborough 11 11.35x
Halifax 11 2.94x
Northallerton 11 33.84x
Soothill 11 11.96x
St Pancras London 11 0.53x
Sunderland 11 8.15x
Tormoham 11 4.86x
Ickleton 10 171.53x
Ilkley 10 24.02x
Ipplepen 10 137.17x
Kensington London 10 0.70x
Mile End Old Town London 10 1.83x
Newton In Clitheroe 10 343.64x
Plymouth Charles The 10 4.24x
St George Hanover Square 10 2.21x
St Marylebone London 10 0.73x
Tiverton 10 10.85x
Antony 9 32.03x
Dacre 9 158.45x
Morley 9 6.80x
Wallingford St Mary Le 9 82.49x
Whitburn 9 50.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 193
Elizabeth 104
Sarah 79
Jane 64
Ann 55
Annie 54
Eliza 44
Alice 42
Hannah 35
Emma 33
Martha 33
Margaret 28
Ada 26
Ellen 25
Emily 20
Edith 19
Harriet 18
Louisa 18
Charlotte 15
Rachel 15
Fanny 13
Florence 13
Grace 13
Maria 12
Susan 12
Anne 11
Bessie 11
Catherine 11
Clara 10
Kate 10
Elizth. 8
Ethel 8
Rebecca 8
Lucy 7
Selina 7
Susannah 7
Agnes 6
Caroline 6
Minnie 6
Amelia 5
Beatrice 5
Eleanor 5
Isabella 5
Laura 5
Lilian 5
Amy 4
Betty 4
Frances 4
Lydia 4
Maud 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 170
John 169
Thomas 93
George 87
James 71
Charles 44
Joseph 40
Henry 38
Samuel 30
Robert 29
Arthur 27
Frederick 24
Alfred 22
Edward 22
Richard 20
David 19
Harry 17
Albert 16
Ernest 11
Herbert 11
Walter 11
Benjamin 10
Frank 10
Fred 10
Tom 10
Francis 9
Isaac 7
Joshua 6
Nicholas 6
Thos. 6
Wm. 6
Edwin 5
Matthew 5
Percy 5
Fred. 4
Fredrick 4
Lewis 4
Mark 4
Ralph 4
Smith 4
Sydney 4
Willie 4
Daniel 3
Fredk. 3
Jonas 3
Peter 3
Stephen 3
Christopher 2
Marmaduke 2
Maurice 2

FAQ

Cowling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cowling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,629 people were recorded with the Cowling surname. That placed it at #1,689 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cowling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,486 in 2016. That gives Cowling a modern rank of #1,944.

What does the Cowling surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a maker of cowls or hoods.

What does the Cowling map show?

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