NameCensus.

UK surname

Lowman

An occupational surname for someone who lived in a low-lying area or worked in a lowland region.

In the 1881 census there were 669 people recorded with the Lowman surname, ranking it #5,393 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 755, ranked #7,252, down from #5,393 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Eling and Portland. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, Mid Devon and East Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lowman is 987 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.9%.

1881 census count

669

Ranked #5,393

Modern count

755

2016, ranked #7,252

Peak year

1911

987 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lowman had 669 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,393 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 755 in 2016, ranked #7,252.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 987 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lowman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lowman surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lowman 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 396 #6,083
1861 historical 356 #7,171
1881 historical 669 #5,393
1891 historical 757 #5,265
1901 historical 910 #5,099
1911 historical 987 #4,588
1997 modern 850 #6,239
1998 modern 883 #6,262
1999 modern 875 #6,342
2000 modern 847 #6,476
2001 modern 828 #6,480
2002 modern 830 #6,581
2003 modern 797 #6,671
2004 modern 805 #6,634
2005 modern 786 #6,695
2006 modern 793 #6,677
2007 modern 767 #6,926
2008 modern 766 #6,986
2009 modern 774 #7,071
2010 modern 781 #7,160
2011 modern 784 #7,065
2012 modern 780 #7,002
2013 modern 782 #7,100
2014 modern 802 #6,989
2015 modern 782 #7,069
2016 modern 755 #7,252

Geography

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Where Lowmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Eling, Portland and Clayhedon, Hemyock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, Mid Devon, East Lindsey, North Dorset and Selby. 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 Eling Hampshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Portland Dorset
5 Clayhedon, Hemyock Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 009 Blaenau Gwent
2 Mid Devon 003 Mid Devon
3 East Lindsey 007 East Lindsey
4 North Dorset 005 North Dorset
5 Selby 010 Selby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lowman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lowman

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Lowman is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lowman is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lowman falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lowman

The surname Lowman is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "hlaw" meaning a low hill or mound, and "mann" meaning a man or servant. It likely originated in the areas around the counties of Wiltshire, Dorset, and Somerset, where surnames first began to be adopted in the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lowman can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Lowemann" in reference to a landowner in the village of Gillingham, Dorset. The spelling variations "Loweman" and "Louman" also appear in tax rolls and parish records from the 13th and 14th centuries across southern England.

A notable bearer of the name was Sir John Lowman (1460-1524), a member of the gentry from Wiltshire who served as a Member of Parliament and High Sheriff during the reign of Henry VIII. Another early record is of William Lowman (1565-1623), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol.

In the 17th century, the Lowman family established themselves in the county of Somerset, where they owned estates near the town of Frome. One member, Thomas Lowman (1631-1702), was a wealthy landowner and Justice of the Peace who served as High Sheriff of Somerset in 1684.

As the name spread across England, it also took on various localized spellings such as "Loman" and "Loweman". A notable example is John Loman (1725-1789), a renowned clockmaker from London whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the aristocracy.

By the 18th and 19th centuries, the Lowman name had become well-established across Britain, with families residing in counties such as Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Gloucestershire. One prominent figure was Sir William Lowman (1786-1856), a successful industrialist and Member of Parliament for the city of Carlisle.

Throughout its history, the surname Lowman has maintained a strong association with its origins as a topographic name, reflecting the geographic landscapes of the regions where it first emerged in southern England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lowman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lowman 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 Lowmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.03x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 133 2.03x
Hampshire 118 8.81x
Dorset 103 24.01x
Devon 66 4.85x
Surrey 57 1.79x
Somerset 31 2.95x
Lincolnshire 28 2.68x
Kent 18 0.81x
Berkshire 15 3.06x
Sussex 15 1.36x
Bedfordshire 14 4.14x
Essex 14 1.09x
Buckinghamshire 13 3.29x
Cheshire 8 0.55x
Lancashire 8 0.10x
Cambridgeshire 7 1.69x
Gloucestershire 5 0.39x
Yorkshire 5 0.08x
Warwickshire 4 0.24x
Royal Navy 3 3.85x
Wiltshire 2 0.35x
Cornwall 1 0.14x
Glamorgan 1 0.09x
Lanarkshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portland in Dorset leads with 50 Lowmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 216.73x.

Place Total Index
Portland 50 216.73x
Eling 47 346.35x
Lambeth 21 3.69x
Millbrook 18 53.35x
Luppitt 15 1111.11x
St Pancras London 15 2.85x
Camberwell 14 3.35x
Toddington 14 288.66x
Mile End Old Town London 12 8.63x
Hemyock 11 541.87x
Eton 10 111.61x
Plymouth St Andrew 10 9.54x
Southampton St Mary 10 11.87x
Wimborne Minster 10 144.09x
Affpuddle 9 825.69x
Bromley London 9 6.26x
Fulham London 9 9.49x
Bethnal Green London 8 2.82x
Bradninch 8 208.33x
Eversley 8 519.48x
Farnham 8 32.31x
Islington London 8 1.26x
Lewisham 8 6.73x
Snitterby 8 1290.32x
St George Bloomsbury 8 21.33x
Bow London 7 8.41x
Durston 7 1400.00x
Friern Barnet 7 48.61x
Melcombe Regis 7 39.37x
Portsea 7 2.67x
South Stoneham 7 24.09x
West Buckland 7 346.53x
Acton 6 15.66x
Brighton 6 2.70x
Christchurch 6 20.65x
Newington 6 2.49x
South Owersby 6 2857.14x
Southampton All Sts 6 26.11x
St Martin In Fields 6 15.33x
St Marylebone London 6 1.72x
Thornton Le Moor 6 2857.14x
Winterborne Stickland 6 560.75x
Wood Ditton 6 173.41x
Barking 5 13.25x
Chelsea London 5 2.54x
Crewkerne 5 44.76x
Fareham 5 31.06x
Great Faringdon 5 70.92x
Normanby In 5 28.89x
Rewe 5 793.65x
Sherborne 5 39.59x
St Anne Soho London 5 13.40x
Bigby 4 493.83x
Birkenhead 4 3.48x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 3.31x
East Grinstead 4 25.64x
East Stonehouse 4 14.93x
Everton 4 1.62x
Kineton 4 169.49x
Paddington London 4 1.66x
Poplar London 4 3.24x
Puddletrenthide 4 239.52x
Runcorn 4 12.03x
St Luke London 4 3.82x
West Ham 4 1.40x
White Waltham 4 217.39x
Chickerell 3 163.93x
Ealing 3 5.14x
Folkestone 3 6.94x
Great Grimsby 3 4.52x
Kingston On Thames 3 3.92x
Royal Navy 3 4.51x
St George Martyr London 3 22.66x
Wells St Andrew 3 319.15x
West Derby 3 1.32x
Cullompton 2 33.67x
Eastbourne 2 3.94x
Exeter St Mary Major 2 24.39x
Isleworth 2 6.88x
Leyton 2 9.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Elizabeth 24
Sarah 20
Jane 17
Annie 14
Eliza 13
Emma 10
Ann 9
Alice 8
Susan 7
Edith 6
Ellen 6
Emily 6
Fanny 6
Florence 6
Louisa 6
Margaret 6
Frances 5
Julia 5
Lucy 5
Maria 5
Martha 5
Agnes 4
Anne 4
Harriet 4
Kate 4
Rose 4
Ada 3
Augusta 3
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Gertrude 3
Hannah 3
Harriett 3
Maud 3
Rosa 3
Sophia 3
Adela 2
Amelia 2
Eliz. 2
Esther 2
Flora 2
Rebecca 2
Rosina 2
Selina 2
Besse 1
Bessie 1
Elizh. 1
Ester 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 51
John 37
Henry 27
George 24
Charles 23
Thomas 20
Edward 18
James 14
Frederick 13
Alfred 12
Robert 11
Joseph 9
Samuel 6
Frank 5
Arthur 4
Ernest 4
Benjamin 3
Edwin 3
Harry 3
Isaac 3
Jno. 3
Richard 3
Walter 3
Wm. 3
Francis 2
Herbert 2
Philip 2
W. 2
Alexander 1
Andrew 1
Anne 1
Daniel 1
Edmund 1
Florence 1
Henery 1
Jas. 1
Jas.Thos. 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Percy 1
Robt. 1
Ruben 1
Saml. 1
Silas 1
Stephen 1
Tho. 1
Thos. 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Lowman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lowman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 669 people were recorded with the Lowman surname. That placed it at #5,393 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lowman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 755 in 2016. That gives Lowman a modern rank of #7,252.

What does the Lowman surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who lived in a low-lying area or worked in a lowland region.

What does the Lowman map show?

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