NameCensus.

UK surname

Gower

An English locational surname derived from a place in West Yorkshire or from the district of Gower in Wales.

In the 1881 census there were 3,144 people recorded with the Gower surname, ranking it #1,434 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,271, ranked #1,589, down from #1,434 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew and Tring. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carmarthenshire, Canterbury and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gower is 4,671 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.8%.

1881 census count

3,144

Ranked #1,434

Modern count

4,271

2016, ranked #1,589

Peak year

1999

4,671 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gower had 3,144 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,434 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,271 in 2016, ranked #1,589.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,410 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gower surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gower surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gower 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 2,018 #1,437
1861 historical 1,896 #1,528
1881 historical 3,144 #1,434
1891 historical 3,386 #1,406
1901 historical 4,093 #1,376
1911 historical 4,410 #1,166
1997 modern 4,576 #1,430
1998 modern 4,648 #1,464
1999 modern 4,671 #1,469
2000 modern 4,608 #1,478
2001 modern 4,469 #1,491
2002 modern 4,556 #1,496
2003 modern 4,479 #1,480
2004 modern 4,452 #1,493
2005 modern 4,307 #1,516
2006 modern 4,325 #1,516
2007 modern 4,368 #1,518
2008 modern 4,386 #1,518
2009 modern 4,395 #1,547
2010 modern 4,515 #1,545
2011 modern 4,446 #1,541
2012 modern 4,292 #1,566
2013 modern 4,382 #1,566
2014 modern 4,409 #1,571
2015 modern 4,338 #1,572
2016 modern 4,271 #1,589

Geography

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Where Gowers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, Tring and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carmarthenshire, Canterbury, Cornwall and East Staffordshire. 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 1
2 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Tring Hertfordshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carmarthenshire 021 Carmarthenshire
2 Carmarthenshire 018 Carmarthenshire
3 Canterbury 014 Canterbury
4 Cornwall 030 Cornwall
5 East Staffordshire 007 East Staffordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gower

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gower

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Gower is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gower is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gower falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gower 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 Gower, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gower

The surname Gower originated in England during the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "gara," meaning "triangular piece of land." The name refers to someone who lived near a triangular plot of land or a specific area known as "Gower" in South Wales.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Gower dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Gouard." This suggests that the name was already established in England during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.

In the 14th century, a notable figure with the surname Gower was John Gower, an English poet and contemporary of Geoffrey Chaucer. Born around 1330, Gower was a significant contributor to medieval English literature and is best known for his works "Confessio Amantis" and "Vox Clamantis."

Another prominent individual with the Gower surname was Sir Erasmus Gower, an English politician and landowner who lived from 1617 to 1689. He served as a Member of Parliament and played a role in the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, John Gower, a Scottish mathematician and astronomer, made significant contributions to the fields of science and navigation. He was born in 1675 and is known for his work on calculating the positions of celestial bodies.

The name Gower is also associated with several place names in England and Wales, such as Gower Peninsula in South Wales and the village of Gower in Gloucestershire, England. These places may have influenced the spread and adoption of the surname in different regions.

Other notable individuals with the Gower surname include George Gower, an English lawyer and judge born in 1558, and William Gower, an English artist and engraver who lived from 1766 to 1832.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gower families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gower 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 551 Gowers recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.27x.

County Total Index
Kent 551 5.27x
Surrey 428 2.86x
Middlesex 415 1.35x
Sussex 217 4.20x
Essex 181 2.99x
Yorkshire 164 0.54x
Hertfordshire 161 7.62x
Norfolk 134 2.84x
Suffolk 129 3.45x
Glamorgan 109 2.04x
Carmarthenshire 95 7.35x
Buckinghamshire 64 3.45x
Worcestershire 50 1.25x
Berkshire 44 1.91x
Warwickshire 43 0.56x
Lancashire 38 0.10x
Monmouthshire 37 1.67x
Hampshire 33 0.53x
Gloucestershire 29 0.48x
Staffordshire 27 0.26x
Bedfordshire 26 1.64x
Lincolnshire 19 0.39x
Devon 18 0.28x
Northamptonshire 14 0.49x
Shropshire 12 0.45x
Cambridgeshire 11 0.57x
Derbyshire 10 0.21x
Durham 10 0.11x
Herefordshire 9 0.72x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.22x
Pembrokeshire 8 0.82x
Leicestershire 7 0.21x
Somerset 7 0.14x
Northumberland 5 0.11x
Brecknockshire 4 0.65x
Cheshire 4 0.06x
Oxfordshire 4 0.21x
Perthshire 4 0.29x
Cardiganshire 3 0.40x
Dorset 3 0.15x
Midlothian 3 0.07x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.04x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.08x
Inverness-shire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 89 Gowers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.33x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 89 3.33x
Tring 68 120.52x
Bermondsey 65 7.12x
Camberwell 40 2.04x
Mersham 40 527.70x
Brighton 39 3.74x
Hastings St Mary In The 38 34.46x
Tonbridge 38 10.07x
Battle 34 97.45x
St Pancras London 33 1.34x
Willesborough 33 117.31x
Pembrey 32 53.85x
West Ham 32 2.39x
Islington London 31 1.04x
Sculcoates 30 6.23x
Croydon 29 3.50x
East Peckham 27 124.31x
Lowestoft 27 15.31x
Mile End Old Town London 27 4.14x
Poplar London 27 4.67x
Maidstone 26 8.34x
Bethnal Green London 25 1.88x
Holy Trinity 25 3.42x
Hackney London 24 1.40x
Kidwelly 24 90.98x
Reigate Foreign 24 14.84x
Hemel Hempstead 23 24.15x
St Marylebone London 21 1.28x
Kensington London 20 1.17x
Loddon 20 165.02x
Newington 20 1.77x
St George Hanover Square 20 3.70x
Cheddington 19 243.28x
Kidderminster Borough 19 8.11x
Whitchurch 19 249.67x
Battersea 17 1.51x
Beccles 17 28.29x
Biddenden 17 118.72x
Chelsea London 17 1.84x
Lee 17 11.19x
Lewisham 16 2.87x
Paddington London 16 1.42x
Birmingham 15 0.58x
Cwmdu 15 23.06x
Barking 14 7.91x
Carmarthen St Ishmael 14 102.64x
Hollington 14 76.09x
Swinton In Rotherham 14 17.43x
Tottenham 14 2.87x
Bedwellty 13 3.32x
Bromsgrove 13 9.65x
Clewer 13 13.79x
Goudhurst 13 44.89x
Maldon All Sts 13 108.33x
New Windsor 13 16.80x
Sheffield 13 1.34x
Swansea Higher 13 23.38x
Wortwell 13 297.48x
Ystradyfodwg 13 2.78x
Deptford St Paul 12 1.49x
Eynsford 12 66.89x
Leeds 12 0.70x
Loughor 12 42.33x
Merthyr Tydfil 12 2.34x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 12 11.06x
Clase 11 5.54x
Folkestone 11 5.42x
Harpenden 11 34.13x
Kirby Cane 11 249.43x
Luddenham 11 443.55x
Plumstead 11 3.15x
Tooting Graveney 11 26.46x
Westminster St John 11 2.95x
Wombwell 11 12.42x
Abergavenny 10 12.05x
Althorpe 10 89.61x
Dorking 10 9.97x
Fakenham Alethorpe 10 172.12x
Shoreditch London 10 0.75x
Writtle 10 40.42x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 183
Sarah 99
Elizabeth 91
Alice 67
Eliza 58
Emma 55
Ellen 53
Ann 51
Emily 41
Annie 40
Jane 40
Harriet 37
Charlotte 31
Louisa 28
Edith 26
Ada 23
Martha 23
Fanny 22
Margaret 21
Caroline 20
Florence 19
Harriett 19
Kate 18
Maria 18
Clara 16
Anne 15
Frances 14
Hannah 14
Agnes 13
Matilda 13
Catherine 12
Lucy 12
Sophia 11
Susan 11
Amelia 9
Eleanor 9
Esther 9
Rachel 9
Amy 8
Gertrude 8
Lily 8
Elizth. 7
Henrietta 7
Laura 7
Rebecca 7
Rosa 7
Julia 6
Rose 6
Ruth 6
Anna 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 210
John 160
George 146
James 101
Thomas 93
Henry 67
Charles 56
Alfred 48
Edward 45
Frederick 44
Arthur 42
Joseph 37
Walter 32
Albert 30
David 29
Robert 25
Richard 23
Harry 18
Samuel 18
Ernest 17
Herbert 17
Frank 12
Daniel 10
Stephen 10
Edwin 9
Benjamin 8
Edmund 7
Fredk. 7
Francis 6
Lewis 6
Wm. 6
Amos 5
Fred 5
Frederic 5
Edgar 4
Horace 4
Jesse 4
Thos. 4
Archibald 3
Chas. 3
Clement 3
Edwd. 3
Hugh 3
Jeremiah 3
Leonard 3
Lester 3
Sidney 3
Waters 3
Willm. 3
Michael 2

FAQ

Gower surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gower surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,144 people were recorded with the Gower surname. That placed it at #1,434 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gower surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,271 in 2016. That gives Gower a modern rank of #1,589.

What does the Gower surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place in West Yorkshire or from the district of Gower in Wales.

What does the Gower map show?

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