NameCensus.

UK surname

Loweth

An English surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone from Loath or Loweth.

In the 1881 census there were 162 people recorded with the Loweth surname, ranking it #14,746 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 156, ranked #23,098, down from #14,746 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Yaxley and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harborough, South Holland and Rother.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Loweth is 221 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.7%.

1881 census count

162

Ranked #14,746

Modern count

156

2016, ranked #23,098

Peak year

1901

221 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Loweth had 162 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,746 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 156 in 2016, ranked #23,098.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 221 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Loweth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Loweth surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Loweth 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 82 #19,317
1861 historical 100 #21,103
1881 historical 162 #14,746
1891 historical 208 #14,496
1901 historical 221 #14,212
1911 historical 218 #14,177
1997 modern 147 #21,393
1998 modern 169 #20,104
1999 modern 170 #20,153
2000 modern 162 #20,735
2001 modern 173 #19,635
2002 modern 180 #19,533
2003 modern 177 #19,549
2004 modern 170 #20,146
2005 modern 161 #20,799
2006 modern 161 #20,972
2007 modern 163 #21,050
2008 modern 161 #21,431
2009 modern 169 #21,190
2010 modern 168 #21,733
2011 modern 158 #22,473
2012 modern 151 #23,166
2013 modern 153 #23,314
2014 modern 149 #23,969
2015 modern 151 #23,613
2016 modern 156 #23,098

Geography

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Where Loweths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Yaxley, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Stamford St George, Stamford St Michael and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harborough, South Holland, Rother, North Kesteven and Bridgend. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Yaxley Northamptonshire
3 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
4 Stamford St George, Stamford St Michael Lincolnshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harborough 006 Harborough
2 South Holland 008 South Holland
3 Rother 005 Rother
4 North Kesteven 012 North Kesteven
5 Bridgend 017 Bridgend

Forenames

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First names often paired with Loweth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Loweth

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

Loweth 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

Loweth falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Loweth

The surname LOWETH originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hlāw" meaning a small hill or mound, and "hyth" meaning a landing place or small port. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a small port or harbor situated on a hillside or elevated ground.

The earliest known record of the name LOWETH dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Lauuede" and "Lauuedi". This entry refers to landholders in various counties, including Wiltshire, Dorset, and Devon, indicating the name's presence in different parts of southern England during the Norman conquest.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "Lowed" and "Louwede" in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, respectively. These rolls were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I, providing evidence of the name's continued use and various spellings.

One notable bearer of the LOWETH surname was Sir John Loweth, a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire in the 16th century (c. 1520 - 1590). He was an influential figure during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and played a role in the religious reforms of the time.

In the 17th century, the LOWETH name appears in various parish records across England, particularly in the counties of Devon, Somerset, and Gloucestershire. One example is Thomas Loweth (c. 1625 - 1692), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol.

Another historical figure with this surname was Robert Loweth (1681 - 1758), a renowned architect and surveyor who worked on several notable buildings in London, including the former Foundling Hospital.

The variations in spelling, such as "Louth," "Lowth," and "Louwith," were common throughout the centuries due to inconsistencies in record-keeping and regional dialects. Some early place names associated with the surname include Lowethe and Louwith in Wiltshire, as well as Loweth in Devon, suggesting potential connections to these locations.

While the LOWETH surname may have originated in southern England, it eventually spread to other parts of the country and beyond, reflecting the migration patterns and social mobility of its bearers over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Loweth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Loweth 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. Lincolnshire leads with 42 Loweths recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.62x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 42 16.62x
Leicestershire 20 11.42x
Nottinghamshire 20 9.39x
Huntingdonshire 16 50.99x
Northamptonshire 15 10.09x
Staffordshire 14 2.62x
Middlesex 12 0.76x
Lancashire 5 0.27x
Essex 4 1.28x
Warwickshire 4 1.00x
Devon 3 0.91x
Rutland 3 25.86x
Yorkshire 3 0.19x
Sussex 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 14 Loweths recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.75x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 14 24.75x
Yaxley 14 1917.81x
Leicester St Margaret 12 28.09x
Haughton 10 33333.33x
Maxey 8 2424.24x
Stamford St Michael 8 1111.11x
Shoreditch London 7 10.22x
Syston 7 426.83x
Horncastle 6 229.89x
Newark Upon Trent 6 78.33x
Stamford All Sts 5 354.61x
Toxteth Park 5 7.88x
Edgbaston 4 32.36x
Holbeach 4 142.35x
Kirklington 4 3333.33x
Market Deeping 4 606.06x
West Ham 4 5.81x
Deeping St James 3 337.08x
Holy Trinity St Mary 3 126.05x
St Swithin Lincoln 3 75.57x
Stamford St Mary 3 588.24x
Wansford 3 3750.00x
Bethnal Green London 2 2.91x
Bythorn 2 1428.57x
Fleet 2 277.78x
Gedney 2 194.17x
Ryhall 2 512.82x
Topsham 2 129.03x
Westminster St John 2 10.40x
Birstall 1 384.62x
Brigstock 1 178.57x
Easton 1 185.19x
Ketton 1 166.67x
Lutton 1 238.10x
Paddington London 1 1.72x
Raunds 1 66.23x
Skirbeck 1 70.42x
South Bersted 1 44.05x
Stamford Baron St Martin 1 125.00x
Stoke Damerel 1 4.34x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
Thomas 8
James 7
Charles 6
Henry 6
John 5
Arthur 3
Isaac 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Benjamin 2
George 2
Harry 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Chas. 1
Ernest 1
Esau 1
Frederick 1
Fredk 1
Fredric 1
Georges 1
Jns. 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Loweth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Loweth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 162 people were recorded with the Loweth surname. That placed it at #14,746 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Loweth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 156 in 2016. That gives Loweth a modern rank of #23,098.

What does the Loweth surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone from Loath or Loweth.

What does the Loweth map show?

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