NameCensus.

UK surname

Fowley

From the English word "fowl", referring to someone who kept or caught birds.

In the 1881 census there were 103 people recorded with the Fowley surname, ranking it #19,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 134, ranked #25,636, down from #19,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rutherglen, Govan Combination and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northampton, Brent and IZ11.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fowley is 165 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.1%.

1881 census count

103

Ranked #19,410

Modern count

134

2016, ranked #25,636

Peak year

1891

165 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fowley had 103 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016, ranked #25,636.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 165 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Fowley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fowley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fowley 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 66 #21,617
1861 historical 150 #15,296
1881 historical 103 #19,410
1891 historical 165 #17,143
1901 historical 98 #23,119
1911 historical 62 #26,622
1997 modern 151 #21,034
1998 modern 154 #21,316
1999 modern 158 #21,102
2000 modern 154 #21,415
2001 modern 147 #21,756
2002 modern 143 #22,595
2003 modern 139 #22,734
2004 modern 145 #22,289
2005 modern 144 #22,367
2006 modern 142 #22,724
2007 modern 140 #23,231
2008 modern 146 #22,822
2009 modern 145 #23,473
2010 modern 147 #23,809
2011 modern 143 #24,056
2012 modern 151 #23,166
2013 modern 147 #23,977
2014 modern 141 #24,855
2015 modern 137 #25,226
2016 modern 134 #25,636

Geography

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Where Fowleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rutherglen, Govan Combination, Manchester, Wakefield and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northampton, Brent, IZ11, Rochdale and Burnhill and Bankhead North. 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 Rutherglen Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northampton 021 Northampton
2 Brent 034 Brent
3 IZ11 West Dunbartonshire
4 Rochdale 009 Rochdale
5 Burnhill and Bankhead North South Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fowley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fowley

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Fowley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Fowley 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 includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Fowley 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

Fowley 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

Fowley falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fowley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Fowley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Fowley

The surname Fowley is of English origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words 'fugl' meaning bird and 'leah' meaning woodland clearing or meadow. The name likely referred to someone who lived near an area where birds were abundant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fowley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1198, where it appears as 'Fougeleia'. This spelling variation suggests the name was originally pronounced with a harder 'g' sound.

In the 13th century, the name is found in various records from the county of Worcestershire, such as the Feet of Fines from 1236, where it appears as 'Foweleye'. This spelling is closer to the modern form and indicates the name may have been associated with a specific place called Fowley or Fowleigh.

The Fowley surname is also closely linked to the village of Fowlmere in Cambridgeshire, which was formerly known as 'Fugelmere' in the Domesday Book of 1086. This suggests the name may have originated as a locational surname for someone who hailed from this area.

Notable individuals with the surname Fowley throughout history include:

1. William Fowley (c. 1560-1625), an English merchant and explorer who was among the first settlers of Bermuda in 1609. 2. John Fowley (1617-1677), an English clergyman and author of religious works. 3. Thomas Fowley (1732-1804), a British army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. 4. Amelia Fowley (1869-1945), a British suffragette and activist for women's rights. 5. Edward Fowley (1892-1971), an Australian cricketer who played for the national team in the 1920s.

While the Fowley name has endured for centuries, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in England, where it likely referred to individuals residing in areas known for their abundance of birds and woodland clearings.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fowley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fowley 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. Glamorgan leads with 28 Fowleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.17x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 28 16.17x
Yorkshire 27 2.74x
Lanarkshire 11 3.42x
Lancashire 8 0.68x
Middlesex 8 0.80x
Hertfordshire 6 8.75x
Warwickshire 5 1.99x
Durham 2 0.68x
Hampshire 2 0.98x
Surrey 2 0.41x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.59x
East Lothian 1 7.59x
Sussex 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llansamlet Lower in Glamorgan leads with 18 Fowleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1146.50x.

Place Total Index
Llansamlet Lower 18 1146.50x
Wath On Dearne 12 609.14x
Llansamlet Higher 7 542.64x
Wakefield 7 92.47x
Hertford St Andrew 6 705.88x
Rutherglen 6 127.12x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 19.38x
Aston 5 7.24x
Edmonton 5 62.42x
Thorne 5 409.84x
Glasgow 3 5.25x
Newton 3 32.97x
Barony 2 2.46x
Holy Trinity 2 8.44x
Kensington London 2 3.62x
Penarth 2 118.34x
Stockton On Tees 2 14.03x
Athelstaneford 1 384.62x
Brighton 1 2.96x
Leeds 1 1.80x
Richmond 1 14.73x
Spitalfields London 1 13.37x
St John Winchester 1 232.56x
St Thomas Winchester 1 69.44x
Swansea Town 1 7.04x
Whittlesey St Mary St 1 45.45x
Woking 1 34.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Ellen 3
Margret 3
Catherine 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Kate 2
Rose 2
Sarah 2
Agnis 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Cathrine 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Katie 1
Lawler 1
Marria 1
May 1
Salina 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

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 Fowley households.

FAQ

Fowley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fowley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 103 people were recorded with the Fowley surname. That placed it at #19,410 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fowley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016. That gives Fowley a modern rank of #25,636.

What does the Fowley surname mean?

From the English word "fowl", referring to someone who kept or caught birds.

What does the Fowley map show?

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