NameCensus.

UK surname

Cownie

A surname possibly derived from a cow pasture or meadow.

In the 1881 census there were 74 people recorded with the Cownie surname, ranking it #23,062 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 95, ranked #31,782, down from #23,062 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Forfar, Mains and Strathmartine and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include The Glens, South Leith and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cownie is 131 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.4%.

1881 census count

74

Ranked #23,062

Modern count

95

2016, ranked #31,782

Peak year

1999

131 bearers

Map years

3

1891 to 1998

Key insights

  • Cownie had 74 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,062 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 95 in 2016, ranked #31,782.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 130 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Cownie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cownie surname density by area, 1998 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cownie 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 50 #24,274
1861 historical 76 #24,114
1881 historical 74 #23,062
1891 historical 123 #20,939
1901 historical 130 #19,649
1911 historical 32 #29,838
1997 modern 119 #24,302
1998 modern 130 #23,603
1999 modern 131 #23,709
2000 modern 121 #24,824
2001 modern 115 #25,222
2002 modern 106 #26,985
2003 modern 96 #28,381
2004 modern 96 #28,605
2005 modern 97 #28,485
2006 modern 95 #29,113
2007 modern 95 #29,493
2008 modern 95 #29,822
2009 modern 93 #30,682
2010 modern 96 #30,854
2011 modern 103 #29,589
2012 modern 103 #29,733
2013 modern 100 #30,773
2014 modern 96 #31,667
2015 modern 94 #31,872
2016 modern 95 #31,782

Geography

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Where Cownies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Forfar, Mains and Strathmartine, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Alyth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to The Glens, South Leith, Bristol, Forfar Central and Forfar West. 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 Forfar Forfar
2 Mains and Strathmartine Forfar
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Alyth Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 The Glens Dundee City
2 South Leith City of Edinburgh
3 Bristol 016 Bristol, City of
4 Forfar Central Angus
5 Forfar West Angus

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cownie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cownie

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Student Living and Professional Footholds

Nationally, the Cownie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Cownie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

The Group includes many students, some of whom reside in communal residences. Single-person households are the most prevalent and the modal age band is 25 to 44. There are few families with dependent children. A significant number of White residents were born in EU countries (although UK-born residents are more common than in the rest of the Group), and households reflect a diversity of ethnic groups. Residential turnover is exceptionally high and, communal properties aside, flats are the norm. Some properties, including those in the private rental sector, are over-crowded. Many residents are professionals and technicians educated to degree level, and the Group is particularly common near the campuses of established university towns and cities.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Cownie 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

Cownie is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cownie falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cownie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cownie

The surname "Cownie" is of Scottish origin and is believed to have originated in the Highlands region of Scotland during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational surname derived from the lands of Cownie, which were located near the town of Crieff in Perthshire.

The earliest known spelling of the name was "Colquhone," which was recorded in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1264. This spelling suggests that the name may have been derived from the Gaelic words "cull" meaning "corner" and "choinnich" meaning "meeting," referring to a location where two streams or valleys met.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various historical records, including the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John de Colquhone, who was a landowner in Stirlingshire in the late 13th century.

Over time, the spelling of the name evolved, with variations such as "Culquhoun," "Culquhone," and "Cownie" appearing in different records throughout the centuries. The modern spelling of "Cownie" is thought to have emerged in the 17th or 18th century, perhaps influenced by the local pronunciation of the name in certain regions.

One notable figure who bore the surname "Cownie" was Sir John Cownie (1536-1609), who served as the Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1598 to 1600. Another prominent individual was Sir Robert Cownie (1678-1753), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who helped establish the Cownie Trust, which supported education and charitable causes in Edinburgh.

In the 19th century, the name "Cownie" was found among Scottish immigrants who settled in various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand. One example is John Cownie (1819-1892), a Scottish-born farmer who emigrated to Ontario, Canada, and became a respected community leader.

Other notable individuals with the surname "Cownie" include James Cownie (1834-1901), a Scottish-born politician who served as a member of the New Zealand Parliament, and Sir John Cownie (1881-1956), a Scottish businessman and politician who was knighted for his services to industry and commerce.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cownie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cownie 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. Midlothian leads with 38 Cownies recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.31x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 38 39.31x
Angus 22 32.91x
Aberdeenshire 6 8.98x
Perthshire 6 18.52x
Clackmannanshire 1 16.78x
Fife 1 2.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 16 Cownies recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.14x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 16 41.14x
Dundee 11 44.07x
Duddingston 10 515.46x
Edinburgh St Stephens 8 421.05x
Aberdeen Old Machar 6 43.01x
Bendochy 6 3333.33x
North Leith 4 89.49x
Barry 2 250.00x
Liff Benvie 2 19.70x
Strathmartine 2 666.67x
Dollar 1 161.29x
Inverarity 1 476.19x
Lintrathen 1 625.00x
Logie 1 1000.00x
Mains 1 175.44x
Monikie 1 285.71x
St Vigeans 1 27.70x

FAQ

Cownie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cownie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 74 people were recorded with the Cownie surname. That placed it at #23,062 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cownie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 95 in 2016. That gives Cownie a modern rank of #31,782.

What does the Cownie surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from a cow pasture or meadow.

What does the Cownie map show?

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