NameCensus.

UK surname

Dowle

In the 1881 census there were 456 people recorded with the Dowle surname, ranking it #7,255 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 780, ranked #7,067, up from #7,255 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean, Charlton-near-Dover and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dover and Forest of Dean.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dowle is 821 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 71.1%.

1881 census count

456

Ranked #7,255

Modern count

780

2016, ranked #7,067

Peak year

1999

821 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dowle had 456 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,255 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 780 in 2016, ranked #7,067.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 589 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dowle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dowle surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Dowle 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 301 #7,626
1861 historical 327 #7,788
1881 historical 456 #7,255
1891 historical 486 #7,600
1901 historical 551 #7,524
1911 historical 589 #6,935
1997 modern 789 #6,610
1998 modern 798 #6,766
1999 modern 821 #6,663
2000 modern 816 #6,676
2001 modern 779 #6,782
2002 modern 814 #6,675
2003 modern 780 #6,796
2004 modern 775 #6,843
2005 modern 772 #6,800
2006 modern 770 #6,844
2007 modern 769 #6,918
2008 modern 763 #7,017
2009 modern 781 #7,018
2010 modern 803 #7,003
2011 modern 804 #6,918
2012 modern 776 #7,033
2013 modern 782 #7,100
2014 modern 781 #7,135
2015 modern 768 #7,166
2016 modern 780 #7,067

Geography

Back to top

Where Dowles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean, Charlton-near-Dover, London parishes, Dover St James, Dover St Mary and Romney, New. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dover and Forest of Dean. 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 Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean Monmouthshire
2 Charlton-near-Dover Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
5 Romney, New Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dover 012 Dover
2 Dover 010 Dover
3 Dover 011 Dover
4 Forest of Dean 007 Forest of Dean
5 Forest of Dean 002 Forest of Dean

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Dowle

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Dowle

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

Dowle is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Dowle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dowle 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. Kent leads with 170 Dowles recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.18x.

County Total Index
Kent 170 11.18x
Monmouthshire 66 20.48x
Middlesex 56 1.26x
Gloucestershire 41 4.69x
Surrey 23 1.06x
Herefordshire 21 11.49x
Dorset 16 5.47x
Hampshire 15 1.64x
Somerset 14 1.95x
Lancashire 7 0.13x
Berkshire 5 1.49x
Essex 5 0.57x
Leicestershire 3 0.61x
Lincolnshire 2 0.28x
Shropshire 2 0.52x
Staffordshire 2 0.13x
Warwickshire 2 0.18x
Worcestershire 2 0.34x
Glamorgan 1 0.13x
Northamptonshire 1 0.24x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.71x
Sussex 1 0.13x
Yorkshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lydd in Kent leads with 32 Dowles recorded in 1881 and an index of 981.60x.

Place Total Index
Lydd 32 981.60x
Dover St James 19 284.86x
Charlton 18 178.22x
Dover St Mary Virgin 17 115.49x
Hythe St Leonard 17 316.57x
Ross 16 220.08x
New Romney 15 955.41x
Newland 14 190.48x
Lewisham 12 14.80x
Christchurch 11 110.33x
Bermondsey 10 7.54x
Bedminster 9 13.35x
Pen Y Clawdd 9 9000.00x
Goodnestone In 8 10000.00x
Kensington London 8 3.23x
St Pancras London 8 2.23x
Trevethin 8 26.29x
Westminster St James 8 17.46x
Hound 7 112.90x
St Woollos 7 19.47x
Alvington 6 1016.95x
Aylburton 6 606.06x
Blendworth 6 1333.33x
Lambeth 6 1.54x
Mile End Old Town 6 8.53x
St Peters 6 85.23x
Toller Porcorum 6 882.35x
Caerleon 5 297.62x
East Newchurch 5 819.67x
Llandenny 5 892.86x
Lydney 5 110.86x
Peterstow 5 892.86x
Sunninghill 5 107.76x
West Dean 5 35.21x
Chelsea London 4 2.98x
Chilfrome 4 2666.67x
Combe St Nicholas 4 231.21x
Liverpool 4 1.25x
Llanvihangel Torymynydd 4 1600.00x
Matherne 4 512.82x
Newington 4 2.43x
Old Romney 4 1739.13x
St Marylebone London 4 1.68x
West Ham 4 2.06x
Willesborough 4 97.80x
Cattistock 3 370.37x
Hackney London 3 1.20x
Leicester St Margaret 3 2.49x
Maiden Newton 3 245.90x
St Giles In Fields 3 19.52x
St Mary Magdalen Old 3 2000.00x
Alkham 2 227.27x
Ashford 2 13.50x
Charing 2 97.09x
Chartham 2 52.77x
Deal 2 15.42x
Ifton 2 4000.00x
Ratcliffe London 2 8.12x
Rusholme 2 14.17x
Selling 2 160.00x
St Anne Soho London 2 7.86x
Beelsby 1 384.62x
Camberwell 1 0.35x
Cheltenham 1 1.48x
Ealing 1 2.51x
Great Grimsby 1 2.21x
Hougham 1 11.06x
Leyton Low 1 5.59x
Margate St John Baptist 1 3.59x
Monmouth 1 11.70x
Penge 1 3.51x
Plumstead 1 1.97x
Rowley Regis 1 2.38x
St Mary Extra 1 13.61x
St Mary Virgin In Marsh 1 344.83x
Sutton 1 6.36x
Thorpe Mandeville 1 312.50x
Wellington 1 4.62x
Worcester St Nicholas 1 36.23x
Wrockwardine 1 11.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Elizabeth 19
Jane 14
Sarah 13
Eliza 12
Ellen 10
Annie 7
Emma 7
Alice 6
Ann 5
Edith 5
Emily 5
Harriett 4
Louisa 4
Amelia 3
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Kate 3
Margaret 3
Rebecca 3
Bella 2
Bertha 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Esther 2
Henrietta 2
Jemima 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Maria 2
Rosa 2
Bessie 1
Eliza. 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Jennett 1
Laura 1
Lilian 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Magt. 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 31
Henry 25
George 24
James 24
John 16
Thomas 11
Edward 10
Charles 9
Alfred 7
Richard 6
Arthur 5
Frederick 5
Robert 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Fredk. 3
David 2
Elijah 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Joseph 2
Lewis 2
Amos 1
Augustin 1
Austin 1
Benjamin 1
Benjiman 1
Doulson 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Frederich 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Horace 1
Jesse 1
Joshua 1
Laurence 1
Mathew 1
Oliver 1
Percy 1
Ralph 1
Richd.George 1
Robt.Chas. 1
Sidney 1
W.T. 1
Watkin 1
Wm.Godfrey 1

FAQ

Dowle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dowle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 456 people were recorded with the Dowle surname. That placed it at #7,255 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dowle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 780 in 2016. That gives Dowle a modern rank of #7,067.

What does the Dowle map show?

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