NameCensus.

UK surname

Lowry

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a laurel tree or in a moor or bog.

In the 1881 census there were 1,200 people recorded with the Lowry surname, ranking it #3,361 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,518, ranked #2,626, up from #3,361 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carlisle, Salford and Swindon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lowry is 2,595 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 109.8%.

1881 census count

1,200

Ranked #3,361

Modern count

2,518

2016, ranked #2,626

Peak year

2010

2,595 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lowry had 1,200 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,361 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,518 in 2016, ranked #2,626.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,385 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Lowry surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lowry surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lowry 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 717 #3,647
1861 historical 535 #4,913
1881 historical 1,200 #3,361
1891 historical 1,073 #3,918
1901 historical 1,385 #3,634
1911 historical 1,330 #3,594
1997 modern 2,394 #2,614
1998 modern 2,480 #2,634
1999 modern 2,494 #2,642
2000 modern 2,469 #2,644
2001 modern 2,390 #2,672
2002 modern 2,438 #2,678
2003 modern 2,399 #2,663
2004 modern 2,392 #2,667
2005 modern 2,383 #2,645
2006 modern 2,384 #2,648
2007 modern 2,437 #2,623
2008 modern 2,479 #2,603
2009 modern 2,516 #2,632
2010 modern 2,595 #2,615
2011 modern 2,529 #2,647
2012 modern 2,492 #2,628
2013 modern 2,559 #2,612
2014 modern 2,569 #2,619
2015 modern 2,528 #2,630
2016 modern 2,518 #2,626

Geography

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Where Lowrys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carlisle, Salford, Swindon, South Hams and Neath Port Talbot. 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 3
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carlisle 011 Carlisle
2 Salford 030 Salford
3 Swindon 008 Swindon
4 South Hams 008 South Hams
5 Neath Port Talbot 017 Neath Port Talbot

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lowry

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lowry

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lowry, 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 Lowry surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Lowry 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, Lowry 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

Lowry 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

Lowry 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 Lowry 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Lowry

The surname Lowry has its origins in England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "hlaw" meaning a hill or mound, and "ry" referring to a meadow or field. This suggests that the name may have originated from someone who lived near a grassy hill or mound.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "de la Louri". This early spelling variation highlights the connection to a specific place or location.

The Lowry name is also mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This reference further establishes the name's deep historical roots in the country.

In the 14th century, the name was commonly spelled as "Lowry" or "Lowrie", as evidenced by records from Lancashire and Yorkshire. These spellings likely evolved from the Old English pronunciation and spelling variations.

Notable individuals with the Lowry surname include:

1. L.S. Lowry (1887-1976), a renowned English artist known for his urban landscapes and depictions of industrial scenes in the northwest of England.

2. Sir Nathaniel Lowry (1547-1622), an English judge and politician who served as Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas.

3. Robert Lowry (1826-1899), an American Baptist minister and composer who wrote many popular hymns, including "Shall We Gather at the River" and "Nothing but the Blood".

4. Glyndwr Michael Lowry (born 1935), an Irish politician and businessman who served as Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications from 1987 to 1991.

5. John Lowry (1782-1851), an Irish-American military officer who fought in the War of 1812 and later served as a United States Congressman from Pennsylvania.

The surname Lowry has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Lowry Hill in Lancashire and Lowry's Farm in Cheshire, further reinforcing its connection to specific locations and geographic features.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lowry families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lowry 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. Lancashire leads with 242 Lowrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.73x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 242 1.73x
Middlesex 191 1.62x
Yorkshire 152 1.30x
Cornwall 104 7.79x
Durham 56 1.60x
Surrey 47 0.82x
Cumberland 45 4.43x
Lanarkshire 42 1.10x
Lincolnshire 35 1.86x
Kent 32 0.80x
Northumberland 32 1.82x
Cheshire 25 0.96x
Devon 25 1.02x
Hampshire 18 0.74x
Warwickshire 18 0.61x
Essex 16 0.69x
Staffordshire 15 0.38x
Derbyshire 14 0.76x
Glamorgan 10 0.49x
Ayrshire 9 1.02x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.57x
Suffolk 9 0.63x
Berkshire 8 0.90x
Sussex 8 0.40x
Berwickshire 6 4.20x
Channel Islands 5 1.43x
Dorset 5 0.65x
Flintshire 5 1.58x
Renfrewshire 5 0.55x
Huntingdonshire 4 1.71x
Hertfordshire 2 0.25x
Isle of Man 2 0.91x
Leicestershire 2 0.15x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.53x
Royal Navy 2 1.42x
Shropshire 2 0.20x
Worcestershire 2 0.13x
Fife 1 0.14x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x
Norfolk 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Falmouth in Cornwall leads with 46 Lowrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 97.33x.

Place Total Index
Falmouth 46 97.33x
Selby 46 188.37x
Liverpool 36 4.24x
Toxteth Park 34 7.17x
Hackney London 31 4.69x
Islington London 25 2.19x
Elswick 23 16.42x
Leeds 21 3.18x
Blackburn 20 5.37x
Kenwyn 19 54.41x
Birmingham 18 1.82x
Manchester 18 2.86x
Salford 18 4.37x
St Just In Roseland 18 307.69x
Govan 17 1.80x
Cheetham 16 15.33x
Glasgow 16 2.36x
St Marylebone London 15 2.38x
Ardwick 14 11.09x
Minster In Sheppey 14 21.00x
Stanhope 14 38.64x
Dewsbury 13 10.85x
Shoreditch London 13 2.54x
Bethnal Green London 12 2.34x
Paddington London 12 2.77x
Birkenhead 10 4.82x
Bishopwearmouth 10 3.32x
Caldewgate 10 17.98x
Gateshead 10 3.81x
Great Grimsby 10 8.36x
Merthyr Tydfil 10 5.07x
Modbury 10 159.49x
West Ham 10 1.95x
Barony 9 0.93x
Croydon 9 2.82x
Dundonald 9 27.65x
Hammersmith London 9 3.10x
Esh 8 31.34x
Everton 8 1.79x
Lowestoft 8 11.79x
Normanby In 8 25.61x
St Anne Soho London 8 11.88x
St Cuthbert W O 8 16.16x
Appleton 7 301.72x
Handsworth 7 7.13x
Heaton 7 55.73x
Kensington London 7 1.07x
Stanwix 7 85.16x
Wavertree 7 15.63x
Widnes 7 6.93x
Camborne 6 10.91x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 2.70x
Cleethorpes 6 54.10x
Clerkenwell London 6 2.16x
Eyemouth 6 50.34x
Holy Trinity 6 2.13x
Hulme 6 2.05x
Mile End New Town London 6 25.75x
Newington 6 1.38x
Sutton 6 12.79x
Armley 5 9.70x
Belper 5 13.97x
Carshalton 5 22.74x
Darlington 5 3.69x
Great Crosby 5 13.11x
Great Sutton 5 367.65x
Holywell 5 12.56x
Hunslet 5 2.74x
Limehouse London 5 3.86x
Long Ditton 5 53.30x
Northowram 5 6.10x
Oldham 5 1.11x
Portsea 5 1.06x
Ratcliffe London 5 7.68x
Rustington 5 344.83x
Shadwell London 5 15.15x
St Botolph Aldgate London 5 20.58x
St Cuthbert Within 5 42.52x
St Helier 5 4.39x
West Derby 5 1.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 98
Elizabeth 39
Catherine 33
Margaret 28
Sarah 28
Annie 25
Ellen 18
Jane 18
Alice 15
Ann 12
Emily 11
Bridget 10
Eliza 10
Emma 9
Hannah 9
Susan 9
Anne 7
Louisa 6
Maria 6
Charlotte 5
Edith 5
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Clara 4
Frances 4
Kate 4
Ada 3
Adelaide 3
Agnes 3
Caroline 3
Eliz. 3
Ethel 3
Harriet 3
Harriett 3
Isabella 3
Lilian 3
Martha 3
Minnie 3
Nora 3
Bertha 2
Betsy 2
E. 2
Elizh. 2
Francis 2
Ida 2
Julia 2
Lillian 2
Lucy 2
Margt. 2
Winifred 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 82
William 63
James 52
Thomas 34
George 29
Edward 25
Charles 19
Joseph 19
Henry 15
Frederick 14
Patrick 13
Richard 11
Michael 10
Arthur 9
Albert 8
Robert 8
Samuel 8
Thos. 7
Alfred 5
Daniel 5
Luke 5
Reginald 5
Ernest 4
Herbert 4
Peter 4
Walter 4
Frank 3
Harry 3
Martin 3
Philip 3
Wm. 3
Alexander 2
David 2
Eustace 2
F.W. 2
Fenwick 2
Francis 2
Hubert 2
Jno. 2
Mark 2
Matthew 2
Micheal 2
Sidney 2
Charls 1
Chs. 1
Fritz 1
Gustavus 1
H. 1
Leighton 1
Wm.G. 1

FAQ

Lowry surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lowry surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,200 people were recorded with the Lowry surname. That placed it at #3,361 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lowry surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,518 in 2016. That gives Lowry a modern rank of #2,626.

What does the Lowry surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a laurel tree or in a moor or bog.

What does the Lowry map show?

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