NameCensus.

UK surname

Lowther

Derived from a place name meaning "lower," referring to someone who lived on lower ground or downstream.

In the 1881 census there were 1,830 people recorded with the Lowther surname, ranking it #2,376 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,350, ranked #2,027, up from #2,376 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Bees, Hull Holy Trinity and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Bradford and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lowther is 3,429 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 83.1%.

1881 census count

1,830

Ranked #2,376

Modern count

3,350

2016, ranked #2,027

Peak year

2014

3,429 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lowther had 1,830 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,376 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,350 in 2016, ranked #2,027.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,599 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Lowther surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lowther surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lowther 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 1,133 #2,487
1861 historical 1,100 #2,552
1881 historical 1,830 #2,376
1891 historical 1,974 #2,337
1901 historical 2,453 #2,222
1911 historical 2,599 #1,969
1997 modern 3,239 #1,987
1998 modern 3,277 #2,043
1999 modern 3,336 #2,032
2000 modern 3,293 #2,045
2001 modern 3,196 #2,062
2002 modern 3,294 #2,047
2003 modern 3,162 #2,077
2004 modern 3,123 #2,098
2005 modern 3,108 #2,075
2006 modern 3,063 #2,112
2007 modern 3,142 #2,084
2008 modern 3,203 #2,072
2009 modern 3,280 #2,073
2010 modern 3,410 #2,046
2011 modern 3,380 #2,036
2012 modern 3,313 #2,036
2013 modern 3,379 #2,033
2014 modern 3,429 #2,016
2015 modern 3,373 #2,029
2016 modern 3,350 #2,027

Geography

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Where Lowthers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Bees, Hull Holy Trinity, London parishes, Penrith and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Bradford, Leeds and Barrow-in-Furness. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Penrith Cumberland
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 040 County Durham
2 County Durham 064 County Durham
3 Bradford 052 Bradford
4 Leeds 083 Leeds
5 Barrow-in-Furness 008 Barrow-in-Furness

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lowther

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lowther

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Lowther is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Lowther is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lowther 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 Lowther 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 Lowther, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Lowther

The surname Lowther originated in England during the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the place name Lowther in Westmorland, now part of Cumbria. The name is believed to come from the Old English words "hlow" meaning "hill" and "hythr" meaning "landing place."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lowther can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Loutrehir." This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the Lowther family became prominent landowners in Westmorland. Sir Hugh de Lowther, who lived in the late 13th century, is recorded as holding lands in the area. The Lowther family later established their seat at Lowther Castle, near Penrith, in the 14th century.

Notable individuals with the surname Lowther include Sir John Lowther (c. 1605-1675), an English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament. Another prominent figure was William Lowther (1663-1688), an English politician and the first Earl of Lonsdale.

Sir James Lowther (1673-1755) was a British politician and the first Earl of Lonsdale from the Lowther family. He served as Lord Privy Seal and was a prominent figure in the Whig party.

William Lowther (1787-1872) was an English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament and held the title of Earl of Lonsdale.

The Lowther family continued to be influential landowners and politicians in the north of England throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, with several members holding the title of Earl of Lonsdale.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lowther families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lowther 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. Yorkshire leads with 506 Lowthers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.86x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 506 2.86x
Durham 285 5.37x
Lancashire 273 1.29x
Cumberland 198 12.89x
Middlesex 85 0.48x
Northumberland 75 2.83x
Surrey 55 0.63x
Lincolnshire 49 1.72x
Sussex 28 0.93x
Nottinghamshire 25 1.04x
Essex 17 0.48x
Gloucestershire 16 0.46x
Cambridgeshire 15 1.33x
Glamorgan 14 0.45x
Norfolk 13 0.47x
Cardiganshire 12 2.76x
Lanarkshire 12 0.21x
Huntingdonshire 11 3.11x
Westmorland 11 2.81x
Worcestershire 11 0.47x
Pembrokeshire 9 1.59x
Staffordshire 9 0.15x
Suffolk 9 0.41x
Shropshire 8 0.52x
Dorset 7 0.60x
Cheshire 6 0.15x
Hampshire 6 0.16x
Kent 6 0.10x
Renfrewshire 6 0.43x
Wigtownshire 6 2.53x
Devon 5 0.13x
Monmouthshire 5 0.39x
Northamptonshire 5 0.30x
Wiltshire 5 0.32x
Somerset 4 0.14x
Derbyshire 3 0.11x
Warwickshire 3 0.07x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.27x
Hertfordshire 2 0.16x
Oxfordshire 2 0.18x
Rutland 2 1.53x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.06x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.09x
Channel Islands 1 0.19x
Cornwall 1 0.05x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.25x
Flintshire 1 0.21x
Isle of Man 1 0.30x
Leicestershire 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. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 44 Lowthers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.41x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 44 4.41x
Penrith 24 42.29x
Sculcoates 23 8.21x
Holy Trinity 22 5.17x
Longbenton 21 18.68x
Barrow In Furness 20 6.95x
Dalton In Furness 20 24.47x
Selby 19 51.42x
Whitby 19 31.89x
West Derby 18 2.91x
Weetslade 17 366.38x
Brandon Byshottles 16 24.06x
Faceby 16 1509.43x
Ulverston 16 25.94x
Millom 15 31.86x
Monkwearmouth 15 29.52x
Poplar London 15 4.45x
Preston Quarter 15 34.85x
Bishopwearmouth 14 3.07x
Everton 14 2.07x
Great Busby 14 2333.33x
Lynesack Softley 14 97.63x
St Cuthbert W O 14 18.70x
Camberwell 13 1.14x
Egton Cum Newland 13 211.38x
Ferryhill 13 70.08x
Hensingham 13 103.59x
York St Saviour 13 77.01x
Cardigan St Mary 12 71.99x
Egremont 12 32.76x
Gateshead 12 3.02x
Great Yarmouth 12 5.28x
Guisbrough 12 31.06x
Kensington London 12 1.21x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 12 29.91x
Bury 11 4.55x
Farlam 11 113.75x
Keswick 11 56.04x
Manchester 11 1.16x
Preston 11 20.94x
Toxteth Park 11 1.53x
West Ham 11 1.41x
Westbury On Trym 11 9.28x
Battersea 10 1.52x
Bramley In Bramley 10 14.78x
Byers Green 10 66.76x
Cardiff St George 10 714.29x
Cornforth 10 63.98x
Crook Billy Row 10 14.71x
Eskdaleside 10 115.07x
Nottingham St Mary 10 1.61x
Ramsey 10 35.26x
Skircoat 10 14.34x
Stanhope 10 18.24x
Wigton 10 43.42x
Arkholme With Cawood 9 497.24x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 2.68x
Earsdon 9 41.67x
Egton 9 116.13x
Elvet 9 23.49x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 9 18.26x
Escrick 9 250.00x
Gorleston 9 16.30x
Govan 9 0.63x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 9 3.91x
Rotherhithe 9 4.08x
Seamer In Stokesley 9 600.00x
Stranton 9 5.04x
Sutton Stoneferry 9 17.79x
Swillington 9 178.93x
Wardleworth 9 7.44x
Worcester St Martin 9 28.64x
Coundon 8 37.17x
Darlington 8 3.90x
Durham St Nicholas 8 61.35x
Ellel 8 73.26x
Hunmanby 8 96.97x
Hunslet 8 2.90x
Kirkbampton 8 311.28x
Kirkdale 8 2.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 136
William 119
James 83
Thomas 74
George 66
Henry 41
Robert 33
Richard 30
Charles 27
Edward 26
Joseph 24
Alfred 12
Arthur 12
Frederick 9
Herbert 9
Andrew 8
Francis 8
Albert 6
Matthew 6
Benjamin 5
Christopher 5
Geo. 5
Harry 5
Jacob 5
Mathew 5
Walter 5
Wilfred 5
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Fred 4
Hugh 4
Frank 3
Launcelot 3
Samuel 3
Tom 3
Wm. 3
Bernard 2
G. 2
Gerald 2
Hy. 2
Infant 2
Jeremiah 2
Joshua 2
Josiah 2
Kay 2
Pattinson 2
Percy 2
Reuben 2
Robt. 2
Thos. 2

FAQ

Lowther surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lowther surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,830 people were recorded with the Lowther surname. That placed it at #2,376 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lowther surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,350 in 2016. That gives Lowther a modern rank of #2,027.

What does the Lowther surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "lower," referring to someone who lived on lower ground or downstream.

What does the Lowther map show?

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