NameCensus.

UK surname

Lowen

A variant of the English surname Lowe, derived from a French topographic name for someone who lived by a small hill or ridge.

In the 1881 census there were 258 people recorded with the Lowen surname, ranking it #10,836 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 363, ranked #12,777, down from #10,836 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edmonton, London parishes and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Somerset, Hackney and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lowen is 441 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.7%.

1881 census count

258

Ranked #10,836

Modern count

363

2016, ranked #12,777

Peak year

1911

441 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lowen had 258 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,836 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016, ranked #12,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 441 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Lowen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lowen surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lowen 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 156 #12,552
1861 historical 210 #11,551
1881 historical 258 #10,836
1891 historical 287 #11,473
1901 historical 421 #9,141
1911 historical 441 #8,638
1997 modern 416 #10,696
1998 modern 429 #10,795
1999 modern 422 #10,999
2000 modern 423 #10,941
2001 modern 425 #10,716
2002 modern 405 #11,335
2003 modern 401 #11,242
2004 modern 395 #11,390
2005 modern 389 #11,423
2006 modern 373 #11,854
2007 modern 384 #11,726
2008 modern 389 #11,723
2009 modern 383 #12,125
2010 modern 411 #11,723
2011 modern 395 #11,966
2012 modern 382 #12,127
2013 modern 386 #12,243
2014 modern 384 #12,362
2015 modern 369 #12,627
2016 modern 363 #12,777

Geography

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Where Lowens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edmonton, London parishes, St John Hackney, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Finchley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Somerset, Hackney, New Forest, Hertsmere and Cherwell. 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 Edmonton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Finchley Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Somerset 001 West Somerset
2 Hackney 001 Hackney
3 New Forest 012 New Forest
4 Hertsmere 006 Hertsmere
5 Cherwell 017 Cherwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lowen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lowen

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Lowen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lowen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Lowen is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lowen is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lowen falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lowen

The surname LOWEN has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the Middle Ages, around the 12th century. It is derived from the Old German word "löwe," which means "lion." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a tavern or inn that had a lion as its sign or emblem.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name LOWEN dates back to 1285, when a Henricus Lowen was mentioned in the municipal records of the city of Cologne. In the 14th century, a Johann Lowen was listed as a resident of the town of Mainz in the Rhineland region.

The LOWEN name can also be traced back to the town of Löwenberg in Silesia, which was once part of the Kingdom of Prussia. This town's name means "Lion's Mountain," and it is possible that some individuals from this area adopted LOWEN as a surname.

A notable historical figure bearing the LOWEN surname was Johann Michael von Lowen (1619-1671), a German mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of comets and planetary orbits.

In the 16th century, a family of Lowens resided in the town of Lübeck, a prominent Hanseatic League city in northern Germany. One member of this family, Hans Lowen (1508-1578), was a respected merchant and alderman.

Another individual of note was Gottfried Wilhelm Lowen (1753-1823), a German philosopher and educator who was influenced by the ideas of Immanuel Kant. He wrote several works on ethics and moral philosophy.

The LOWEN surname also appeared in various legal and administrative records throughout Germany in the Middle Ages and Renaissance period, such as the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae and the Monumenta Germaniae Historica.

While the name LOWEN is primarily associated with Germany, it has also been found in other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands, where it is sometimes spelled as "Loewen" or "Louwens."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lowen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lowen 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. Middlesex leads with 133 Lowens recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.28x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 133 5.28x
Essex 56 11.27x
Kent 17 1.98x
Yorkshire 11 0.44x
Lancashire 7 0.23x
Hertfordshire 6 3.46x
Norfolk 5 1.29x
Renfrewshire 5 2.56x
Surrey 4 0.33x
Worcestershire 4 1.22x
Bedfordshire 2 1.53x
Glamorgan 1 0.23x
Hampshire 1 0.19x
Lanarkshire 1 0.12x
Midlothian 1 0.30x
Northumberland 1 0.27x
Oxfordshire 1 0.64x
Sussex 1 0.24x
Wiltshire 1 0.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hornsey in Middlesex leads with 27 Lowens recorded in 1881 and an index of 84.83x.

Place Total Index
Hornsey 27 84.83x
Islington London 15 6.15x
North Weald Bassett 15 1744.19x
Hackney London 12 8.50x
Theydon Garnon 9 796.46x
Bethnal Green London 8 7.32x
Edmonton 8 39.45x
Marske In Guisbrough 8 180.59x
St Marylebone London 8 5.95x
All Hallows London Wall 7 2592.59x
Chigwell 7 149.25x
Mile End New Town London 7 140.85x
Bromley London 6 10.84x
Canewdon 6 967.74x
Leyton 6 70.09x
St Botolph Aldersgate 6 207.61x
Bow London 5 15.61x
Dartford 5 56.95x
East Greenock 5 27.14x
Enfield 5 30.28x
Shoreditch London 5 4.58x
Clerkenwell London 4 6.73x
Hawkinge 4 3636.36x
Hertford St Andrew 4 186.92x
Lancaster 4 22.51x
Minster In Sheppey 4 28.11x
Hoveton St John 3 1200.00x
Oldbury 3 18.55x
Preston 3 3.75x
South Ockendon 3 291.26x
St Pancras London 3 1.48x
West Ham 3 2.74x
Baldock 2 122.70x
Bowling 2 8.10x
Camberwell 2 1.24x
Epping 2 99.01x
Great Melton 2 740.74x
Greenwich 2 4.99x
Luton 2 8.87x
Stapleford Abbots 2 476.19x
Alfriston 1 200.00x
Alverstoke 1 5.36x
Chatham 1 4.23x
Cowley 1 20.62x
Devizes St John 1 59.88x
East Bedfont 1 80.00x
Glasgow 1 0.69x
Hammersmith London 1 1.61x
Kidderminster Borough 1 5.20x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.87x
Navestock 1 138.89x
Newington 1 1.08x
North Leith 1 6.41x
North Shields 1 13.39x
Penarth 1 23.36x
Penge 1 6.22x
Poplar London 1 2.11x
Ramsgate 1 7.13x
Richmond 1 25.64x
St Bartholomew Great 1 43.67x
St Botolph Aldgate London 1 19.31x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.26x
Waltham Holy Cross 1 21.55x
Wanstead 1 11.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Emma 11
Sarah 10
Elizabeth 7
Alice 6
Louisa 5
Ann 4
Ellen 4
Emily 4
Ada 3
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Florence 3
Hannah 3
Susan 3
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Georgina 2
Jane 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Susannah 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Catherine 1
Cathrin 1
Clara 1
Clarion 1
Eleanor 1
Elen 1
Emeline 1
Ethel 1
Euphemia 1
Florance 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Jessie 1
Johanna 1
Levenia 1
Millicent 1
Philis 1
Prudence 1
Rebecca 1
Rosetta 1
Rosina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 16
George 13
Charles 12
William 11
John 10
Harry 4
Thomas 4
Edward 3
Alfred 2
Chas. 2
Daniel 2
Fredk. 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Will. 2
Adam 1
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Benj. 1
Cornelius 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Harriett 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Leonard 1
Percy 1
Phillip 1
Roger 1
Thos.H. 1
Trevaimions 1
Willm. 1
Wm.Cunliffe 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Lowen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lowen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 258 people were recorded with the Lowen surname. That placed it at #10,836 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lowen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016. That gives Lowen a modern rank of #12,777.

What does the Lowen surname mean?

A variant of the English surname Lowe, derived from a French topographic name for someone who lived by a small hill or ridge.

What does the Lowen map show?

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