NameCensus.

UK surname

Dower

A surname indicating a former place of residence near a grassy hill.

In the 1881 census there were 370 people recorded with the Dower surname, ranking it #8,434 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 644, ranked #8,237, up from #8,434 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Wendron and Gwennap. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Swansea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dower is 666 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 74.1%.

1881 census count

370

Ranked #8,434

Modern count

644

2016, ranked #8,237

Peak year

2010

666 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dower had 370 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,434 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 644 in 2016, ranked #8,237.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 551 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Dower surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dower surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Dower 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 263 #8,439
1861 historical 551 #4,778
1881 historical 370 #8,434
1891 historical 508 #7,341
1901 historical 426 #9,067
1911 historical 443 #8,611
1997 modern 634 #7,817
1998 modern 642 #7,975
1999 modern 641 #8,050
2000 modern 642 #8,012
2001 modern 618 #8,104
2002 modern 644 #8,007
2003 modern 633 #7,986
2004 modern 619 #8,152
2005 modern 608 #8,198
2006 modern 603 #8,256
2007 modern 608 #8,262
2008 modern 611 #8,284
2009 modern 653 #8,042
2010 modern 666 #8,091
2011 modern 641 #8,241
2012 modern 630 #8,275
2013 modern 655 #8,163
2014 modern 650 #8,255
2015 modern 633 #8,366
2016 modern 644 #8,237

Geography

Back to top

Where Dowers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Wendron, Gwennap, Camborne and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Swansea. 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 Wendron Cornwall
3 Gwennap Cornwall
4 Camborne Cornwall
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 051 Cornwall
2 Rhondda Cynon Taf 006 Rhondda Cynon Taf
3 Swansea 019 Swansea
4 Cornwall 059 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 049 Cornwall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Dower

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Dower

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Dower surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dower household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Dower is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dower is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Dower

The surname Dower has its origins in England, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "dohtor," which means daughter, suggesting that the name may have initially referred to the daughter of someone important or a person with a distinguished lineage.

In the medieval period, the name Dower was concentrated in the counties of Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, and Warwickshire in central England. Early spellings of the name included variants such as Doughter, Doghter, and Dowter, reflecting the evolution of language and local dialects.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dower can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a person named William Doughter is mentioned. The Dower surname also appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records of landholders in various counties across England.

In the 14th century, a notable figure with the surname Dower was John Dower, a merchant and alderman from the city of Bristol. Records indicate that he served as the mayor of Bristol in 1376 and played a significant role in the city's governance and trade affairs.

Another prominent individual bearing the Dower surname was William Dower, who lived in the 16th century and served as a member of the Parliament of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He represented the borough of Taunton in Somerset and was involved in various legislative matters of the time.

During the 17th century, the Dower family had a presence in the county of Dorset, where a branch of the family resided at the manor of Frampton. One member of this lineage was Thomas Dower, born in 1625, who was a landowner and served as a justice of the peace in the local community.

In the 18th century, the Dower name gained recognition through the accomplishments of Reverend John Dower, born in 1720, who was a respected clergyman and author. He published several religious works and served as a vicar in the Church of England in various parishes across the country.

As the centuries progressed, the Dower surname continued to be found across various regions of England, with individuals from this family making their mark in various professions and walks of life, contributing to the rich tapestry of English history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Dower families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dower 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. Cornwall leads with 136 Dowers recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.29x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 136 33.29x
Lancashire 64 1.49x
Middlesex 29 0.80x
Durham 21 1.96x
Yorkshire 17 0.48x
Devon 12 1.60x
Gloucestershire 12 1.70x
Kincardineshire 8 18.20x
Northumberland 8 1.49x
Surrey 8 0.45x
Glamorgan 7 1.11x
Staffordshire 6 0.49x
Berwickshire 5 11.44x
Caithness 5 10.12x
Aberdeenshire 4 1.20x
Kent 4 0.32x
Warwickshire 4 0.44x
Caernarfonshire 3 2.06x
Cheshire 3 0.38x
Somerset 3 0.52x
Bedfordshire 2 1.07x
Carmarthenshire 2 1.31x
Royal Navy 2 4.65x
Worcestershire 2 0.42x
Angus 1 0.30x
Lanarkshire 1 0.09x
Nottinghamshire 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. Gwennap in Cornwall leads with 21 Dowers recorded in 1881 and an index of 272.37x.

Place Total Index
Gwennap 21 272.37x
Monk Hesleden 18 602.01x
Camborne 16 95.01x
Liverpool 15 5.77x
Redruth 15 129.76x
Constantine 13 546.22x
St Blazey 11 306.41x
Bristol St James In 10 96.06x
Chelsea London 10 9.20x
Islington London 10 2.86x
Banchory Ternan 8 210.53x
Kea 8 262.30x
Burnley 7 19.41x
Swansea Town 7 13.59x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 18.61x
Calstock 6 74.91x
Cowpen 6 48.50x
Horsforth 6 76.53x
St Gluvias 6 262.01x
St Gluvias Penryn 6 183.49x
Wendron 6 105.82x
Buckfastleigh 5 144.09x
Coldstream 5 158.23x
Liskeard 5 73.10x
Manchester 5 2.60x
West Bromwich 5 7.17x
Wick 5 31.33x
Battersea 4 3.01x
Chiswick 4 20.28x
Elton 4 27.03x
Kirkdale 4 5.55x
Leamington Priors 4 17.86x
Litherland 4 44.69x
Pendleton In Salford 4 7.84x
Skelton In Guisbrough 4 41.37x
Spotland 4 8.40x
St Stithians 4 177.78x
Budock 3 97.72x
Crowan 3 92.59x
Exeter St David 3 46.73x
Old Cleeve 3 144.93x
St Ive 3 114.50x
Stockport 3 7.32x
Bedford St Mary 2 41.58x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 5.88x
Brotton 2 42.83x
Falmouth 2 13.83x
Horton 2 75.47x
Lambeth 2 0.64x
Llanbeblig 2 13.50x
Llanboidy 2 104.71x
Menheniot 2 117.65x
Newhills 2 29.24x
Paddington London 2 1.51x
Pennington In Ulverston 2 93.90x
Perranzabuloe 2 56.82x
Preston 2 1.75x
Royal Navy 2 5.44x
Streatham 2 7.47x
Toxteth Park 2 1.38x
Washington 2 44.44x
Worcester St Peter 2 22.42x
Bangor 1 7.11x
Barony 1 0.34x
Bristol St George 1 3.05x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 4.24x
Finchley 1 7.23x
Gulval 1 38.02x
Halifax 1 1.90x
Helston 1 23.53x
Kemnay 1 49.26x
Kensington London 1 0.50x
Kenwyn 1 9.36x
Minster In Sheppey 1 4.90x
Newton Abbot St Nicholas 1 64.94x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 1.73x
Ryhope 1 13.42x
St Columb Minor 1 29.15x
Ulverston 1 8.02x
Wolverhampton 1 1.07x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Elizabeth 24
Jane 10
Emma 9
Ann 7
Eliza 6
Susan 6
Catherine 5
Ellen 4
Margaret 4
Sarah 4
Agnes 3
Alice 3
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Emily 3
Fanny 3
Isabella 3
Kate 3
Sophia 3
Anne 2
Elizth. 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Honour 2
Priscilla 2
Theresa 2
Anna 1
Beatrice 1
Bella 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Clara 1
Cornilia 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth.Jane 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lavina 1
Louisana 1
Lovedy 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Mabel 1
Thomasine 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 27
William 20
James 15
Joseph 12
Edward 6
Richard 6
Thomas 6
Benjamin 5
Michael 5
Frederick 4
Henry 4
Nicholas 4
Patrick 3
Alfred 2
Charles 2
David 2
Maurice 2
Robert 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Allmann 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Brazil 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
George 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Humphrey 1
Moses 1
Peter 1
Richd. 1
Saml. 1
Sidney 1
Theodore 1
Thos. 1
Verran 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Wm.John 1

FAQ

Dower surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dower surname in 1881?

In 1881, 370 people were recorded with the Dower surname. That placed it at #8,434 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dower surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 644 in 2016. That gives Dower a modern rank of #8,237.

What does the Dower surname mean?

A surname indicating a former place of residence near a grassy hill.

What does the Dower map show?

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