NameCensus.

UK surname

Dowell

A surname of English origin, likely derived from a place name meaning "spring near a burial mound."

In the 1881 census there were 1,498 people recorded with the Dowell surname, ranking it #2,796 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,939, ranked #3,300, down from #2,796 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Rhuddlan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carlisle, South Derbyshire and Hinckley and Bosworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dowell is 2,115 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.4%.

1881 census count

1,498

Ranked #2,796

Modern count

1,939

2016, ranked #3,300

Peak year

1998

2,115 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dowell had 1,498 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,796 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,939 in 2016, ranked #3,300.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,801 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dowell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dowell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dowell 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 1,131 #2,494
1861 historical 1,339 #2,141
1881 historical 1,498 #2,796
1891 historical 1,681 #2,680
1901 historical 1,758 #2,953
1911 historical 1,801 #2,724
1997 modern 2,063 #2,981
1998 modern 2,115 #3,021
1999 modern 2,083 #3,081
2000 modern 2,037 #3,119
2001 modern 2,006 #3,108
2002 modern 2,048 #3,116
2003 modern 1,975 #3,146
2004 modern 1,994 #3,124
2005 modern 1,981 #3,114
2006 modern 1,948 #3,164
2007 modern 1,962 #3,174
2008 modern 1,945 #3,210
2009 modern 1,995 #3,218
2010 modern 2,032 #3,235
2011 modern 2,007 #3,229
2012 modern 1,953 #3,245
2013 modern 1,990 #3,257
2014 modern 1,995 #3,265
2015 modern 1,953 #3,292
2016 modern 1,939 #3,300

Geography

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Where Dowells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Rhuddlan, Branscombe and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carlisle, South Derbyshire, Hinckley and Bosworth and Allerdale. 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 3
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Rhuddlan Denbighshire
4 Branscombe Devon
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carlisle 011 Carlisle
2 South Derbyshire 006 South Derbyshire
3 Hinckley and Bosworth 005 Hinckley and Bosworth
4 Hinckley and Bosworth 001 Hinckley and Bosworth
5 Allerdale 001 Allerdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dowell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dowell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dowell, 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 Dowell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dowell 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, Dowell 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

Dowell 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

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

Meaning and origin of Dowell

The surname Dowell is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "dol" meaning a boundary or frontier, and "well" meaning a spring or stream. Thus, the name likely referred to someone who lived near a boundary stream or well.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1273, where it is spelled "de la Dolwelle." This early spelling suggests the name may have initially referred to a specific place name rather than a descriptive surname.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms such as "Dollewelle," "Dolewelle," and "Dolewelle" in records from Cambridgeshire, Essex, and Hertfordshire, respectively. These variations in spelling were common in the Middle Ages before standardized spelling became more widespread.

The Dowell surname is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded land ownership across England after the Norman Conquest. In this ancient record, the name appears as "Dolewelle" and is associated with landholdings in Wiltshire.

One notable bearer of the Dowell name was Sir John Dowell (1543-1629), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire in the late 16th century.

Another historical figure with this surname was Thomas Dowell (1572-1646), an English clergyman and author who wrote several works on theology and religious controversies of his time.

In the 17th century, the Dowell name appears in various parish records across England, including those of William Dowell (1605-1677), a prominent merchant and landowner in Buckinghamshire.

Later, in the 18th century, John Dowell (1737-1810) was a noted English sculptor and carver who worked on several prestigious commissions, including decorative carvings for Buckingham Palace.

Another individual of note was Joseph Dowell (1772-1854), an English artist and portrait painter who exhibited his works at the Royal Academy in London throughout the early 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dowell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dowell 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. Warwickshire leads with 138 Dowells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.74x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 138 3.74x
Middlesex 135 0.92x
Leicestershire 127 7.83x
Flintshire 111 28.22x
Devon 108 3.55x
Durham 97 2.23x
Dorset 72 7.50x
Gloucestershire 56 1.95x
Staffordshire 56 1.13x
Lancashire 54 0.31x
Yorkshire 53 0.37x
Cumberland 44 3.49x
Somerset 33 1.40x
Kent 32 0.64x
Stirlingshire 32 5.93x
Lanarkshire 30 0.63x
Surrey 30 0.42x
Derbyshire 26 1.14x
Shetland 24 16.06x
Worcestershire 19 0.99x
Hampshire 16 0.53x
Nottinghamshire 16 0.81x
Angus 13 0.96x
Cheshire 12 0.37x
Denbighshire 12 2.17x
Aberdeenshire 11 0.81x
Midlothian 11 0.56x
Essex 10 0.35x
Oxfordshire 10 1.11x
Northumberland 9 0.41x
Caernarfonshire 8 1.35x
Herefordshire 8 1.33x
Hertfordshire 8 0.79x
Sussex 8 0.32x
Monmouthshire 7 0.66x
Renfrewshire 7 0.62x
Shropshire 7 0.55x
Berkshire 6 0.55x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.68x
Ayrshire 5 0.46x
Clackmannanshire 5 4.14x
Kincardineshire 5 2.81x
Lincolnshire 5 0.21x
Glamorgan 4 0.16x
Norfolk 4 0.18x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.22x
Northamptonshire 2 0.15x
Argyllshire 1 0.25x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.16x
Perthshire 1 0.15x
Royal Navy 1 0.57x
Suffolk 1 0.06x
Westmorland 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 42 Dowells recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.62x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 42 10.62x
Aston 39 3.84x
Rhuddlan 33 95.29x
Birmingham 32 2.60x
Branscombe 31 743.41x
Stirling 30 44.09x
Westoe 27 10.94x
Stroud 26 46.55x
Meliden 23 401.40x
Sandsting Aitsting 21 155.10x
Weymouth 20 109.95x
Shoreditch London 19 3.00x
Leamington Priors 18 19.82x
Rowley Regis 18 13.08x
Caldewgate 16 23.18x
Church Gresley 15 41.15x
Govan 15 1.28x
Hawarden 15 48.54x
Toxteth Park 15 2.55x
Bishopwearmouth 14 3.75x
Hackney London 14 1.71x
Hugglescote 14 58.65x
Darlaston 13 19.04x
Dyserth 13 269.15x
Kings Norton 13 7.59x
Hammersmith London 12 3.33x
Holywell 12 24.30x
Wigton 12 63.53x
Bubbenhall 11 833.33x
Chard 11 38.56x
Coventry St Michael 11 9.28x
Lee 11 15.17x
Poplar London 11 3.98x
Portland 11 21.30x
Coventry Holy Trinity 10 9.08x
Oldham 10 1.78x
Ryhope 10 33.09x
St Pancras London 10 0.85x
Stainton 10 236.97x
Whitherley 10 386.10x
Barony 9 0.75x
Berkeley 9 56.36x
Compton Gifford 9 94.24x
Hinckley 9 23.39x
Horninglow 9 38.68x
Neithrop 9 29.63x
Radipole 9 135.75x
Sunderland 9 11.71x
Whitford 9 44.14x
Atherstone 8 42.44x
Barwell 8 93.24x
Forfar 8 10.90x
Fulham London 8 3.77x
Lambeth 8 0.63x
Mile End Old Town 8 3.46x
Otterton 8 163.27x
Tynemouth 8 6.86x
Battersea 7 1.30x
Birkenhead 7 2.72x
Drumoak 7 150.21x
Dunkeswell 7 355.33x
Dwygyfylchi 7 64.04x
East Stoke 7 238.91x
Heworth 7 185.68x
Leicester St Leonard 7 45.57x
Liverpool 7 0.66x
Market Bosworth 7 119.45x
Monkwearmouth 7 16.80x
Nottingham St Mary 7 1.37x
Sidbury 7 107.36x
Sileby 7 68.43x
Stoke Newington London 7 6.14x
Thornton 7 324.07x
Bedminster 6 2.71x
Broughton In Salford 6 3.78x
Monks Risborough 6 141.51x
Sherborne 6 21.22x
Shorne 6 135.75x
Westminster St James 6 3.99x
Wyke Regis 6 43.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 99
Elizabeth 65
Sarah 47
Ann 32
Jane 30
Eliza 27
Annie 20
Ellen 17
Hannah 16
Emma 15
Margaret 14
Alice 13
Caroline 10
Catherine 10
Fanny 10
Emily 9
Harriett 9
Agnes 8
Amelia 8
Florence 8
Maria 8
Charlotte 7
Clara 7
Edith 7
Harriet 7
Martha 7
Louisa 6
Ada 5
Anne 5
Rosa 5
Amy 4
Frances 4
Lucy 4
Rebecca 4
Rose 4
Anna 3
Bridget 3
Eliz. 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Gertrude 3
Julia 3
Kate 3
Margt. 3
Phoebe 3
Rachel 3
Selina 3
Susannah 3
Margret 2
Marion 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 86
John 78
Thomas 70
George 46
James 38
Joseph 32
Henry 22
Edward 21
Charles 18
Richard 14
Samuel 13
Walter 13
Alfred 11
Arthur 11
Robert 11
Frederick 10
Ernest 8
Frank 8
Albert 6
Edwin 6
Fred 6
David 5
Peter 5
Benjamin 4
Harry 4
Archibald 3
Daniel 3
Eli 3
Francis 3
Fredrick 3
J. 3
Job 3
Willm. 3
Benj. 2
Earnest 2
Enoch 2
Geo. 2
Hezekiah 2
Jacob 2
Lewis 2
Louis 2
Patrick 2
Phillip 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Andrew 1
Bemjamin 1
Edgar 1
Eleazor 1

FAQ

Dowell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dowell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,498 people were recorded with the Dowell surname. That placed it at #2,796 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dowell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,939 in 2016. That gives Dowell a modern rank of #3,300.

What does the Dowell surname mean?

A surname of English origin, likely derived from a place name meaning "spring near a burial mound."

What does the Dowell map show?

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