UK surname
In the 1881 census there were 41 people recorded with the Dowes surname, ranking it #27,870 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 18, ranked #36,832, down from #27,870 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and St George the Martyr. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dowes is 142 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 56.1%.
1881 census count
41
Ranked #27,870
Modern count
18
2016, ranked #36,832
Peak year
1861
142 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Dowes surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Dowes surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 142 | #15,982 |
| 1881 | historical | 41 | #27,870 |
| 1891 | historical | 109 | #22,701 |
| 1901 | historical | 68 | #26,598 |
| 1911 | historical | 81 | #24,719 |
| 1997 | modern | 21 | #35,692 |
| 1998 | modern | 20 | #35,885 |
| 1999 | modern | 23 | #35,612 |
| 2000 | modern | 24 | #35,498 |
| 2001 | modern | 20 | #35,754 |
| 2002 | modern | 22 | #35,709 |
| 2003 | modern | 18 | #36,115 |
| 2004 | modern | 16 | #36,439 |
| 2005 | modern | 15 | #36,621 |
| 2006 | modern | 16 | #36,601 |
| 2007 | modern | 16 | #36,714 |
| 2008 | modern | 16 | #36,766 |
| 2009 | modern | 17 | #36,753 |
| 2010 | modern | 17 | #36,862 |
| 2011 | modern | 16 | #36,932 |
| 2012 | modern | 15 | #36,982 |
| 2013 | modern | 16 | #36,955 |
| 2014 | modern | 19 | #36,740 |
| 2015 | modern | 19 | #36,736 |
| 2016 | modern | 18 | #36,832 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, St George the Martyr, St Marylebone and Dalton-le-Dale. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 2 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 3 | St George the Martyr | London (South Districts) |
| 4 | St Marylebone | London (North Districts) |
| 5 | Dalton-le-Dale | Durham |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Dowes surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dowes, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Dowes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Dowes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Dowes is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dowes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Dowes, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dowes surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 12 Dowes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.00x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 12 | 3.00x |
| Derbyshire | 7 | 11.18x |
| Hampshire | 6 | 7.32x |
| Surrey | 3 | 1.54x |
| Lanarkshire | 2 | 1.55x |
| Lincolnshire | 2 | 3.13x |
| Nottinghamshire | 2 | 3.71x |
| Yorkshire | 2 | 0.50x |
| Essex | 1 | 1.27x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.73x |
| Monmouthshire | 1 | 3.46x |
| Northumberland | 1 | 1.68x |
| Oxfordshire | 1 | 4.05x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 10 Dowes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.80x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Islington London | 10 | 25.80x |
| Staveley | 7 | 630.63x |
| Portsea | 5 | 31.11x |
| Glasgow | 2 | 8.71x |
| Lambeth | 2 | 5.74x |
| Chatham | 1 | 26.67x |
| Elswick | 1 | 21.05x |
| Kingston On Thames | 1 | 21.37x |
| Leeds | 1 | 4.47x |
| Limehouse London | 1 | 22.78x |
| Newark Upon Trent | 1 | 51.55x |
| North Collingham | 1 | 769.23x |
| Oxford St Mary Magdalen | 1 | 344.83x |
| Scunthorpe | 1 | 344.83x |
| Sheffield | 1 | 7.92x |
| Toynton St Peter | 1 | 2000.00x |
| Upper Machen | 1 | 500.00x |
| Ventnor | 1 | 128.21x |
| West Ham | 1 | 5.74x |
| Willesden | 1 | 26.53x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Dowes surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Dowes surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Dowes households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 14 |
| Coal Miner | 2 |
| Drapers Assistant | 2 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Apprentice (Clothier & C) | 1 |
| Cashiers Wine Merchant (Clerk) | 1 |
| Cheese Monger | 1 |
| Domestic Servt | 1 |
| General Shopkeeper | 1 |
| Genl Servt (Domestic) | 1 |
| Genrl Serv Domestic | 1 |
| Iron Works Lab | 1 |
| Salesman Drapery | 1 |
| Shop Boy | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 41 people were recorded with the Dowes surname. That placed it at #27,870 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 18 in 2016. That gives Dowes a modern rank of #36,832.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Dowes bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.