NameCensus.

UK surname

Dow

Scottish and English: from the Gaelic surname Dhuibh, meaning "dark" or "black," likely referring to hair color or complexion.

In the 1881 census there were 892 people recorded with the Dow surname, ranking it #4,269 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,715, ranked #1,833, up from #4,269 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hill of Beath and Kingseat, Calderdale and Kemnay.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dow is 3,963 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 316.5%.

1881 census count

892

Ranked #4,269

Modern count

3,715

2016, ranked #1,833

Peak year

1901

3,963 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dow had 892 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,269 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,715 in 2016, ranked #1,833.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,963 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dow surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Dow 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 2,773 #1,055
1861 historical 3 #33,861
1881 historical 892 #4,269
1891 historical 2,768 #1,704
1901 historical 3,963 #1,423
1997 modern 3,579 #1,811
1998 modern 3,692 #1,823
1999 modern 3,717 #1,830
2000 modern 3,718 #1,815
2001 modern 3,578 #1,844
2002 modern 3,630 #1,867
2003 modern 3,516 #1,881
2004 modern 3,550 #1,861
2005 modern 3,546 #1,845
2006 modern 3,517 #1,858
2007 modern 3,601 #1,829
2008 modern 3,611 #1,832
2009 modern 3,671 #1,850
2010 modern 3,745 #1,858
2011 modern 3,667 #1,870
2012 modern 3,589 #1,874
2013 modern 3,664 #1,874
2014 modern 3,719 #1,856
2015 modern 3,689 #1,854
2016 modern 3,715 #1,833

Geography

Back to top

Where Dows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hill of Beath and Kingseat, Calderdale, Kemnay, Hillyland, Tulloch and Inveralmond and Rannoch and Aberfeldy. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hill of Beath and Kingseat Fife
2 Calderdale 017 Calderdale
3 Kemnay Aberdeenshire
4 Hillyland, Tulloch and Inveralmond Perth and Kinross
5 Rannoch and Aberfeldy Perth and Kinross

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Dow

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Dow

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

Dow 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

Dow falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dow 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 Dow, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dow

The surname DOW has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "dun," which means a hill or a mound. This suggests that the original bearers of the name may have lived near or on a hill or elevated area.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners and properties in England, there are several references to places with names that could be the source of the surname DOW. For example, the village of Dowsby in Lincolnshire and the town of Dowton in Wiltshire are both mentioned, indicating the possible origins of the name.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname DOW was John Dow, who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273. Another early reference is to William de Dowe, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname DOW. One such person was Gerard Dow (1613-1675), a renowned Dutch Golden Age painter known for his meticulous attention to detail and his mastery of depicting light and textures.

Another notable figure was Neal Dow (1804-1897), an American prohibitionist and politician from Maine. He campaigned tirelessly for the passage of laws prohibiting the sale and consumption of alcohol, and his efforts led to the adoption of the Maine Law in 1851, one of the earliest pieces of temperance legislation in the United States.

In Scotland, the surname DOW has been associated with the Clan Forbes, as it was a common sept (branch) name of the clan. One notable bearer of the name was John Dow (1586-1637), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Principal of Marischal College in Aberdeen.

Across the Atlantic, in the early days of the American colonies, the surname DOW can be found in records from the 17th century. One such individual was Henry Dow (1636-1707), an early settler in Hampton, New Hampshire, who served as a town selectman and was involved in local governance.

Finally, in the realm of sports, one cannot overlook the legacy of Courtney Dow (1971-), a Canadian Olympic athlete who competed in rowing. She won a gold medal in the women's double sculls event at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

These are just a few examples of the numerous individuals throughout history who have borne the surname DOW, a name with deep roots and a rich heritage spanning multiple countries and centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Dow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dow 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. Perthshire leads with 543 Dows recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.37x.

County Total Index
Perthshire 543 34.37x
Lanarkshire 485 4.26x
Midlothian 292 6.19x
Aberdeenshire 282 8.65x
Angus 281 8.62x
Fife 224 10.75x
Middlesex 199 0.57x
Stirlingshire 136 10.48x
Lancashire 107 0.26x
Renfrewshire 102 3.74x
Essex 91 1.31x
Surrey 81 0.47x
Kent 72 0.60x
Ayrshire 64 2.43x
Norfolk 61 1.13x
Durham 55 0.53x
Banffshire 51 6.99x
Argyllshire 50 5.10x
Dunbartonshire 39 4.12x
West Lothian 36 6.79x
Yorkshire 36 0.10x
Kinross-shire 35 39.34x
Kincardineshire 23 5.37x
Morayshire 20 3.66x
Clackmannanshire 18 6.19x
Cumberland 18 0.59x
Hampshire 17 0.24x
Cheshire 16 0.21x
Dumfriesshire 12 1.54x
East Lothian 11 2.36x
Hertfordshire 11 0.45x
Warwickshire 11 0.12x
Worcestershire 11 0.24x
Devon 10 0.14x
Inverness-shire 9 0.86x
Isle of Man 9 1.38x
Northumberland 9 0.17x
Lincolnshire 8 0.14x
Berkshire 7 0.27x
Gloucestershire 7 0.10x
Cambridgeshire 6 0.27x
Cornwall 6 0.15x
Herefordshire 6 0.42x
Northamptonshire 6 0.18x
Glamorgan 5 0.08x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.36x
Royal Navy 4 0.95x
Berwickshire 3 0.70x
Sussex 3 0.05x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.09x
Caithness 2 0.42x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.39x
Staffordshire 2 0.02x
Dorset 1 0.04x
Monmouthshire 1 0.04x
Peeblesshire 1 0.60x
Selkirkshire 1 0.31x
Shetland 1 0.28x
Shropshire 1 0.03x
Sutherland 1 0.37x
Wigtownshire 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. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 152 Dows recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.40x.

Place Total Index
Govan 152 5.40x
Barony 139 4.83x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 128 6.75x
Dundee 104 8.54x
Glasgow 84 4.16x
Liff Benvie 63 12.73x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 56 9.18x
Blair Athole 45 213.78x
Perth East Church 38 25.52x
Auchterarder 37 83.92x
Stirling 36 22.00x
Aberdeen Old Machar 34 5.00x
Beath 31 47.08x
Auchtergaven 30 113.29x
Falkirk 30 9.87x
Dunfermline 28 8.74x
Methven 28 120.90x
Scone 28 99.79x
Crieff 25 42.56x
St Pancras London 25 0.88x
South Leith 23 4.33x
Eastwood 22 13.10x
Kincardine 22 135.14x
Kinnoull 22 52.97x
Plumstead 22 5.50x
West Greenock 22 4.49x
Alva 21 33.92x
Dull 21 66.33x
Larbert 21 27.06x
East Greenock 20 7.76x
Linlithgow 20 29.42x
West Derby 20 1.64x
Kinclaven 19 265.36x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 19 11.70x
Kinross 19 62.30x
West Ham 19 1.24x
Liverpool 18 0.71x
St Andrews 18 18.99x
Callander 17 65.26x
Old Monkland 17 3.76x
Comrie 16 70.83x
Bonhill 15 9.88x
Camberwell 15 0.67x
Kensington London 15 0.77x
Kilfinan 15 57.38x
Kirknewton East 15 76.10x
Little Dunkeld 15 55.95x
North Leith 15 6.87x
Bishopwearmouth 14 1.56x
Everton 14 1.05x
Islington London 14 0.41x
Logie 14 24.70x
Mile End Old Town London 14 1.87x
New Monkland 14 4.16x
Prittlewell 14 14.54x
St Ninians 14 10.88x
Birkenhead 13 2.10x
Caputh 13 52.31x
Edinburgh St Stephens 13 14.01x
Glass 13 104.42x
Monymusk 13 93.12x
Row 13 10.62x
Abbotshall 12 15.41x
Bermondsey 12 1.15x
Coupar Angus 12 38.90x
Hamilton 12 3.78x
Logierait 12 43.15x
Paddington London 12 0.93x
Bowmore 11 48.78x
Bromley London 11 1.42x
Cathcart 11 7.45x
Dysart 11 7.84x
Kirkden 11 53.92x
Lambeth 11 0.36x
Leuchars 11 41.75x
Methlick 11 42.15x
Newington 11 0.85x
Norwich St Stephen 11 22.15x
St George Hanover Square 11 1.77x
Tottenham 11 1.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 55
William 48
James 47
George 31
Charles 18
Robert 15
Alexander 14
Thomas 12
Edward 9
Henry 9
Joseph 9
Alfred 7
Arthur 7
David 6
Frederick 5
Hugh 5
Frank 4
Harry 4
Robt. 4
Albert 3
Archibald 3
Francis 3
Godfrey 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Alexr. 2
Benjamin 2
Bennett 2
Duncan 2
Edgar 2
Ernest 2
Horace 2
Jos. 2
Joshua 2
Malcolm 2
Peter 2
Timothy 2
Wallace 2
Wm. 2
Alixander 1
Arthar 1
B. 1
Courtney 1
Douglas 1
Edmund 1
Emmanuel 1
Enoch 1
Harold 1
Hubert 1
Isaac 1

FAQ

Dow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 892 people were recorded with the Dow surname. That placed it at #4,269 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,715 in 2016. That gives Dow a modern rank of #1,833.

What does the Dow surname mean?

Scottish and English: from the Gaelic surname Dhuibh, meaning "dark" or "black," likely referring to hair color or complexion.

What does the Dow map show?

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