NameCensus.

UK surname

Lowey

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "muddy hill."

In the 1881 census there were 63 people recorded with the Lowey surname, ranking it #24,711 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 234, ranked #17,572, up from #24,711 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Bees, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Willowbrae and Duddingston Village, Peterborough and Ardrossan North East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lowey is 241 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 271.4%.

1881 census count

63

Ranked #24,711

Modern count

234

2016, ranked #17,572

Peak year

2013

241 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lowey had 63 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,711 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 234 in 2016, ranked #17,572.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 221 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Lowey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lowey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lowey 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 60 #22,584
1861 historical 149 #15,373
1881 historical 63 #24,711
1891 historical 212 #14,318
1901 historical 155 #17,704
1911 historical 221 #14,044
1997 modern 220 #16,607
1998 modern 222 #16,969
1999 modern 219 #17,203
2000 modern 234 #16,470
2001 modern 226 #16,620
2002 modern 222 #17,147
2003 modern 221 #16,987
2004 modern 229 #16,684
2005 modern 221 #17,028
2006 modern 223 #17,036
2007 modern 229 #16,941
2008 modern 230 #17,033
2009 modern 230 #17,382
2010 modern 235 #17,477
2011 modern 231 #17,530
2012 modern 234 #17,291
2013 modern 241 #17,202
2014 modern 236 #17,577
2015 modern 238 #17,378
2016 modern 234 #17,572

Geography

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Where Loweys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Bees, Toxteth Park, Manchester, West Derby and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Willowbrae and Duddingston Village, Peterborough, Ardrossan North East, Liverpool and Wirral. 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 St Bees Cumberland
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 West Derby Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Willowbrae and Duddingston Village City of Edinburgh
2 Peterborough 011 Peterborough
3 Ardrossan North East North Ayrshire
4 Liverpool 009 Liverpool
5 Wirral 024 Wirral

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lowey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lowey

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Lowey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Lowey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lowey 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

Lowey is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lowey 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 Lowey 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Lowey

The surname Lowey is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Norfolk. It dates back to the 12th century and is derived from the Old English words "hlaw" and "hlaew," which mean "hill" or "mound." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near a prominent hill or raised land.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Lowey can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, a census-like document compiled in 1273. This document mentions a certain "Robertus de Lowy," indicating that the name was already in use during the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "de Lowy," "Lowy," and "Lowey," as evidenced by records from the Norfolk area. These variations likely reflect the evolution of the name's spelling over time, as well as regional dialects and scribal variations.

One notable historical figure bearing the Lowey surname was Sir Henry Lowey, a prominent English landowner and military commander who lived during the 15th century. He was known for his service in the Wars of the Roses and his involvement in the Battle of Towton in 1461.

Another individual of note was Richard Lowey, born in 1592 in Norfolk, who was a renowned scholar and author. He wrote several treatises on theology and philosophy, and his works were widely circulated in academic circles during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Lowey surname gained prominence with the birth of William Lowey (1720-1798), a successful merchant and philanthropist from London. He was instrumental in establishing several charitable organizations and was known for his generous contributions to various causes.

The 19th century saw the rise of Elizabeth Lowey (1837-1912), an influential writer and advocate for women's rights. Her published works and speeches played a significant role in the early feminist movement in England.

Lastly, John Lowey (1865-1932) was a renowned explorer and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of flora and fauna in the British colonies. His expeditions to remote regions of Africa and Asia led to the discovery of several new plant and animal species.

While the Lowey surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, its origins can be traced back to the English county of Norfolk, where it first emerged as a descriptive surname denoting a connection to a prominent hill or mound.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lowey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lowey 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. Isle of Man leads with 82 Loweys recorded in 1881 and an index of 312.26x.

County Total Index
Isle of Man 82 312.26x
Lancashire 20 1.19x
Lanarkshire 10 2.19x
Cumberland 8 6.57x
Renfrewshire 7 6.39x
Middlesex 4 0.28x
Cheshire 3 0.96x
Essex 3 1.07x
Yorkshire 3 0.21x
Berkshire 1 0.94x
Derbyshire 1 0.45x
Durham 1 0.24x
Northumberland 1 0.48x
Surrey 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Maughold in Isle of Man leads with 35 Loweys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1724.14x.

Place Total Index
Maughold 35 1724.14x
Rushen 34 1910.11x
Govan 10 8.84x
Lonan 6 377.36x
West Derby 6 12.22x
West Greenock 6 30.50x
Kirkdale 5 17.71x
Whitehaven 5 77.04x
Arbory 4 701.75x
Manchester 4 5.30x
Leeds 3 3.79x
Workington 3 43.04x
East Ham 2 38.61x
Everton 2 3.74x
Malew 2 87.34x
Poplar London 2 7.49x
Abbey 1 5.98x
All Hallows Lombard 1 1250.00x
Allendale 1 51.28x
Aston By Sutton 1 714.29x
Braddan 1 69.93x
Bradford 1 12.72x
Chester St Oswald 1 17.70x
Great Bolton 1 4.50x
Kingsley 1 172.41x
Lambeth 1 0.81x
Leyton Low 1 17.64x
Mile End Old Town London 1 3.32x
Sandhurst 1 48.54x
Swarkeston 1 1000.00x
Toxteth Park 1 1.76x
Usworth 1 44.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 10
William 9
Francis 7
Daniel 6
Thomas 5
James 4
Wm. 4
Henry 3
Robert 3
Patrick 2
Richard 2
Bridson 1
Edward 1
Eleanor 1
Hugh 1
Joseph 1
Louis 1
Ludwig 1
Luke 1
Richd. 1
Theodore 1
Thos.W. 1

FAQ

Lowey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lowey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 63 people were recorded with the Lowey surname. That placed it at #24,711 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lowey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 234 in 2016. That gives Lowey a modern rank of #17,572.

What does the Lowey surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "muddy hill."

What does the Lowey map show?

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