NameCensus.

UK surname

Morrow

A Scottish and Irish topographic surname referring to someone living near a moor, hill, or heath.

In the 1881 census there were 1,212 people recorded with the Morrow surname, ranking it #3,335 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,659, ranked #1,862, up from #3,335 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Paisley Central and IZ18.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Morrow is 3,840 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 201.9%.

1881 census count

1,212

Ranked #3,335

Modern count

3,659

2016, ranked #1,862

Peak year

2010

3,840 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Morrow had 1,212 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,335 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,659 in 2016, ranked #1,862.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,534 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Morrow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Morrow surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Morrow 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 643 #4,042
1861 historical 623 #4,292
1881 historical 1,212 #3,335
1891 historical 1,272 #3,396
1901 historical 1,534 #3,356
1911 historical 1,136 #4,098
1997 modern 3,417 #1,895
1998 modern 3,599 #1,882
1999 modern 3,660 #1,858
2000 modern 3,644 #1,860
2001 modern 3,569 #1,849
2002 modern 3,613 #1,874
2003 modern 3,572 #1,845
2004 modern 3,600 #1,836
2005 modern 3,616 #1,806
2006 modern 3,547 #1,844
2007 modern 3,617 #1,821
2008 modern 3,657 #1,812
2009 modern 3,735 #1,820
2010 modern 3,840 #1,809
2011 modern 3,783 #1,816
2012 modern 3,674 #1,835
2013 modern 3,715 #1,846
2014 modern 3,715 #1,860
2015 modern 3,681 #1,860
2016 modern 3,659 #1,862

Geography

Back to top

Where Morrows are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Paisley Central, IZ18, Carlisle and Paisley South East. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 036 County Durham
2 Paisley Central Renfrewshire
3 IZ18 West Dunbartonshire
4 Carlisle 001 Carlisle
5 Paisley South East Renfrewshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Morrow

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Morrow

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

Morrow 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

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

Meaning and origin of Morrow

The surname Morrow has its origins in Scotland and Northern England, where it first appeared as a habitational name derived from the Old English word "mor," meaning a marsh or fen. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a marshy area or a moor.

During the Middle Ages, the surname was recorded in various spellings, including Morrowe, Morowe, and Morrough. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William de Morhou, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195.

In Scotland, the name Morrow is particularly associated with the counties of Ayrshire and Lanarkshire. One notable early record is that of Rankin Morrow, who was a witness in a charter granted by King Robert II in 1389.

The Morrow surname can also be found in various historical documents, such as the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Several individuals with the name Morrow are listed in these rolls, including William de Morrawe and Adam de Morawe.

Some notable individuals with the surname Morrow throughout history include Sir James Morrow (1590-1668), a Scottish landowner and politician who served as a member of the Parliament of Scotland. Another prominent figure was Robert Morrow (1715-1799), an Irish-born American surveyor and soldier who served in the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War.

In the realm of literature, the surname Morrow is associated with the Irish novelist and playwright Candida Morrow (1899-1965), known for her works exploring social issues and the lives of working-class women in Dublin.

Other individuals bearing the Morrow surname include John Morrow (1865-1935), an American educator and politician who served as the 22nd Governor of Kentucky, and Sir Walter Morrow (1859-1938), a British engineer and industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the British shipbuilding industry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Morrow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Morrow 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. Lanarkshire leads with 249 Morrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.47x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 249 6.47x
Lancashire 233 1.65x
Durham 188 5.31x
Renfrewshire 92 9.98x
Northumberland 53 2.99x
Middlesex 52 0.44x
Ayrshire 49 5.50x
Yorkshire 48 0.41x
Surrey 33 0.57x
Cumberland 25 2.44x
Kent 23 0.57x
Dunbartonshire 15 4.69x
Hampshire 15 0.61x
Pembrokeshire 12 3.17x
Staffordshire 12 0.30x
Wigtownshire 11 6.96x
Banffshire 9 3.65x
Cheshire 9 0.34x
Midlothian 9 0.56x
Sussex 9 0.45x
Denbighshire 8 1.78x
Derbyshire 8 0.43x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.37x
Suffolk 6 0.41x
Devon 5 0.20x
Essex 5 0.21x
Wiltshire 5 0.48x
Brecknockshire 4 1.68x
Gloucestershire 4 0.17x
Angus 3 0.27x
Merionethshire 3 1.38x
Royal Navy 3 2.12x
Glamorgan 2 0.10x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 1.16x
Worcestershire 2 0.13x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.09x
Anglesey 1 0.47x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.14x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.13x
East Lothian 1 0.63x
Leicestershire 1 0.08x
Somerset 1 0.05x
Warwickshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 102 Morrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.47x.

Place Total Index
Barony 102 10.47x
Govan 48 5.04x
Gateshead 34 12.83x
Everton 26 5.78x
Liverpool 24 2.80x
Dalry 23 54.88x
Manchester 22 3.46x
Preston 21 5.56x
Abbey 20 14.21x
Barrow In Furness 19 9.89x
St Giles 19 85.97x
Islington London 18 1.56x
Longbenton 18 24.00x
Pendleton In Salford 18 10.70x
Glasgow 17 2.49x
Kirkdale 15 6.31x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 15 14.18x
New Monkland 14 12.31x
Renfrew 13 42.69x
East Greenock 12 13.78x
Leeds 12 1.80x
New Kilpatrick 12 39.45x
West Greenock 12 7.25x
Workington 12 20.45x
Bermondsey 11 3.10x
Sedgefield 11 87.16x
Deptford St Paul 10 3.19x
Pendlebury 10 33.53x
Port Glasgow 10 22.43x
Sunderland 10 15.99x
Whitworth 10 38.58x
Windle 10 12.58x
Boyndie 9 110.02x
Caldewgate 9 16.03x
Gorbals 9 39.39x
Kilmarnock 9 8.49x
Kirkmichael 9 110.84x
Sutton Stoneferry 9 26.67x
Cadder 8 28.14x
Derby St Werburgh 8 7.44x
Paisley Middle Church 8 14.90x
Rye 8 41.95x
Stoneykirk 8 70.80x
Whitton 8 286.74x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 6.24x
Brading 7 21.59x
Camberwell 7 0.92x
Halifax 7 4.04x
Inverkip 7 32.20x
Kimblesworth 7 147.68x
Lesmahagow 7 17.20x
Old Monkland 7 4.58x
Plumstead 7 5.17x
Shotts 7 15.20x
Toxteth Park 7 1.46x
Westminster St John 7 4.83x
Bishopton 6 419.58x
Boldon 6 47.54x
Carluke 6 17.17x
Conside Knitsley 6 21.79x
Edinburgh St Johns 6 59.64x
Elton 6 1304.35x
Haltwhistle 6 69.85x
Haughton 6 29.13x
Holy Trinity 6 2.12x
Leek Lowe 6 11.23x
Lenton 6 15.88x
Llanrian 6 178.57x
Lowestoft 6 8.76x
Maryhill 6 7.96x
Monw Wearmouth Shore 6 176.99x
Newton 6 5.51x
Rotherhithe 6 4.08x
St Luke London 6 3.14x
Trimdon 6 47.96x
Tudhoe 6 19.37x
Wrexham Regis 6 17.97x
Mathry 5 153.85x
Paisley Low Church 5 17.12x
Portsea 5 1.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 59
Elizabeth 29
Sarah 26
Ann 24
Jane 23
Margaret 19
Eliza 18
Ellen 16
Catherine 13
Isabella 9
Anne 7
Annie 7
Alice 6
Harriett 6
Bridget 5
Martha 5
Emma 4
Harriet 4
Louisa 4
Charlotte 3
Eleanor 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Margt. 3
Maria 3
Caroline 2
Dora 2
Dorothy 2
Elizth. 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Grace 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Lizzie 2
Lucy 2
Magdalena 2
Minnie 2
Rebecca 2
Susannah 2
Cecilia 1
Charlotta 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizh. 1
Isabel 1
Isabell 1
Tryphene 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 69
William 55
James 31
Joseph 26
Robert 24
George 23
Thomas 20
Henry 10
Richard 9
David 7
Edward 7
Alexander 5
Alfred 5
Isaac 5
Albert 4
Charles 4
Frederick 4
Geo. 4
Nicholas 4
Robt. 4
Samuel 4
Andrew 3
Francis 3
Harry 3
Mathew 3
Peter 3
Thos. 3
Adam 2
Frank 2
Matthew 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Arnold 1
Bertram 1
Daniel 1
Eliza 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.Munsd 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
J. 1
Jhn. 1
Laurence 1
Luke 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Michel 1
Moses 1
Wm.Geo. 1

FAQ

Morrow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Morrow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,212 people were recorded with the Morrow surname. That placed it at #3,335 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Morrow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,659 in 2016. That gives Morrow a modern rank of #1,862.

What does the Morrow surname mean?

A Scottish and Irish topographic surname referring to someone living near a moor, hill, or heath.

What does the Morrow map show?

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