NameCensus.

UK surname

Gowans

A surname referring to someone from a particular area or farm named Gowan.

In the 1881 census there were 971 people recorded with the Gowans surname, ranking it #4,005 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,212, ranked #4,909, down from #4,005 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Arbroath and St. Vigeans, West Calder and St. Monance. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ardler and St Marys, Hilltown and The Glens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gowans is 1,214 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.8%.

1881 census count

971

Ranked #4,005

Modern count

1,212

2016, ranked #4,909

Peak year

2010

1,214 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gowans had 971 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,005 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,212 in 2016, ranked #4,909.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,212 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Gowans surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gowans surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gowans 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 659 #3,932
1861 historical 749 #3,649
1881 historical 971 #4,005
1891 historical 1,092 #3,870
1901 historical 1,212 #4,066
1911 historical 270 #12,273
1997 modern 1,113 #5,016
1998 modern 1,178 #4,959
1999 modern 1,187 #4,978
2000 modern 1,155 #5,063
2001 modern 1,101 #5,171
2002 modern 1,159 #5,062
2003 modern 1,143 #5,021
2004 modern 1,111 #5,142
2005 modern 1,118 #5,070
2006 modern 1,115 #5,085
2007 modern 1,151 #4,979
2008 modern 1,154 #4,995
2009 modern 1,196 #4,952
2010 modern 1,214 #4,991
2011 modern 1,199 #4,983
2012 modern 1,176 #4,991
2013 modern 1,186 #5,043
2014 modern 1,203 #5,007
2015 modern 1,188 #5,016
2016 modern 1,212 #4,909

Geography

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Where Gowans' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Arbroath and St. Vigeans, West Calder, St. Monance, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ardler and St Marys, Hilltown, The Glens, Westend and Castle Douglas. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
2 West Calder Edinburgh
3 St. Monance Fife
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ardler and St Marys Dundee City
2 Hilltown Dundee City
3 The Glens Dundee City
4 Westend Dundee City
5 Castle Douglas Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gowans

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gowans

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Gowans surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Gowans household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gowans 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

Gowans is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gowans 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 Gowans is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gowans

The surname Gowans is of Scottish origin, derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "gobhann" meaning a blacksmith or metalworker. The name is believed to have originated in the 12th century in the regions of Perthshire and Angus, Scotland.

The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 13th century, with a mention of a "John le Gowan" in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish nobles and gentlemen who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. The name also appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, a collection of financial records from the 13th to 16th centuries.

In the 14th century, the name was also associated with the village of Gowane, now known as Govan, near Glasgow. This village was known for its metalworking industry, further strengthening the connection between the name and the blacksmith profession.

Notable historical figures with the surname Gowans include:

1. John Gowans (c. 1570 - c. 1630), a Scottish minister and author of the book "The Olive Branch, or a Treatise on Peace and Unity" published in 1617.

2. Thomas Gowans (1778 - 1849), a Scottish-born American farmer and businessman who founded the town of Gowanda, New York, in 1808.

3. William Gowans (1805 - 1876), a Scottish-born American printer and publisher who established the first stereotype foundry in the United States in 1834.

4. James Gowans (1821 - 1890), a Scottish-born Canadian architect and surveyor, known for designing several prominent buildings in Toronto, Ontario, including the Cathedral Church of St. James and the Toronto Mechanics' Institute.

5. Sir William Eugene Gowans (1862 - 1945), a British military officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of New South Wales, Australia, from 1912 to 1917.

The name Gowans has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Gowanbank, Gowanhill, and Gowanlea, reflecting the historical presence of blacksmiths and metalworkers in these areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gowans families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gowans 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. Angus leads with 199 Gowans' recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.84x.

County Total Index
Angus 199 22.84x
Midlothian 181 14.37x
Lanarkshire 171 5.62x
Fife 54 9.70x
Perthshire 52 12.32x
Durham 38 1.36x
Northumberland 38 2.72x
West Lothian 33 23.30x
Renfrewshire 27 3.71x
Kincardineshire 22 19.21x
Stirlingshire 21 6.05x
Aberdeenshire 17 1.95x
Lancashire 17 0.15x
Ayrshire 14 1.99x
Roxburghshire 11 6.46x
Caithness 9 6.99x
Middlesex 8 0.09x
Dunbartonshire 7 2.77x
East Lothian 7 5.62x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 5.14x
Surrey 7 0.15x
Peeblesshire 5 11.30x
Worcestershire 5 0.41x
Clackmannanshire 4 5.15x
Nairnshire 2 6.97x
Yorkshire 2 0.02x
Buteshire 1 1.76x
Cheshire 1 0.05x
Cornwall 1 0.09x
Cumberland 1 0.12x
Morayshire 1 0.68x
Royal Navy 1 0.89x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 82 Gowans' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.18x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 82 16.18x
Dundee 80 24.60x
Barony 39 5.07x
Govan 39 5.19x
West Calder 35 140.96x
Glasgow 31 5.74x
St Monance 27 406.02x
Hamilton 25 29.47x
Perth East Church 25 62.83x
Westoe 24 15.13x
Bervie 20 294.55x
Forfar 20 42.40x
St Vigeans 20 42.54x
Liff Benvie 18 13.61x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 17 10.43x
Bathgate 13 42.29x
South Leith 13 9.17x
Brechin 11 32.13x
Liverpool 11 1.62x
Morpeth 11 66.87x
Largo 10 138.31x
Hawick 9 23.61x
Muirkirk 9 54.45x
Blantyre 8 25.27x
Gateshead 8 3.82x
Kirkden 8 146.79x
North Leith 8 13.72x
Scone 8 106.67x
Stirling 8 18.29x
Abroath St Vigeans 7 195.53x
Carstairs 7 111.11x
Cathcart 7 17.75x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 7 23.49x
Edinburgh Canongate 7 21.83x
Inverkeillor 7 129.63x
Lambeth 7 0.85x
Livingstone 7 144.93x
Mains 7 94.59x
Mid Calder 7 128.21x
New Monkland 7 7.79x
Torphichen 7 141.99x
Urr 7 39.53x
West Greenock 7 5.35x
Wick 7 16.83x
Barry 6 57.42x
Dumbarton 6 17.06x
Haddington 6 32.63x
Abbey 5 4.50x
Beith 5 23.81x
Manor 5 561.80x
Perth West Church 5 24.96x
Seaton Delaval 5 40.68x
South Blyth Newsham 5 181.82x
Tardebigg 5 267.38x
West Derby 5 1.53x
Arbroath 4 13.86x
Bothal Demesne 4 59.70x
Carnock 4 117.30x
Clackmannan 4 27.25x
Dalserf 4 13.18x
Edinburgh Tron Church 4 67.80x
Falkirk 4 4.93x
Lethnot Navar 4 430.11x
Longbenton 4 6.75x
Muiravonside 4 45.40x
Abercorn 3 107.14x
Auchterarder 3 25.47x
Bedlington 3 6.42x
Bothwell 3 3.64x
Crail 3 52.82x
Crieff 3 19.11x
Dalkeith 3 12.07x
East Greenock 3 4.36x
Ferry Port On Craig 3 32.75x
Kirknewton East 3 56.93x
Shotts 3 8.24x
St Ninians 3 8.73x
Balfron 2 46.73x
Lethendy 2 416.67x
Monifieth 2 6.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Jane 7
Isabella 3
Jessie 3
Margaret 3
Ann 2
Catherine 2
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Sarah 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Ellenor 1
Guliutniar 1
Henrietta 1
Leah 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
May 1
Phillis 1
Robina 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
Robert 9
James 8
John 8
Andrew 4
George 4
Thomas 3
Walter 3
Charles 2
Adam 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Henry 1
Jonathan 1
Joseph 1
Martha 1
Peter 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Gowans surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gowans surname in 1881?

In 1881, 971 people were recorded with the Gowans surname. That placed it at #4,005 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gowans surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,212 in 2016. That gives Gowans a modern rank of #4,909.

What does the Gowans surname mean?

A surname referring to someone from a particular area or farm named Gowan.

What does the Gowans map show?

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