NameCensus.

UK surname

Mowatt

A Scottish surname derived from a French place name, meaning "high hill" or "promontory".

In the 1881 census there were 467 people recorded with the Mowatt surname, ranking it #7,122 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,161, ranked #5,085, up from #7,122 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mearns North and Inverbervie, Friockheim and Letham and Glamis.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mowatt is 1,167 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 148.6%.

1881 census count

467

Ranked #7,122

Modern count

1,161

2016, ranked #5,085

Peak year

2014

1,167 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mowatt had 467 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,122 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,161 in 2016, ranked #5,085.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 800 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mowatt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mowatt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mowatt 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 189 #10,896
1861 historical 270 #9,216
1881 historical 467 #7,122
1891 historical 652 #5,956
1901 historical 800 #5,648
1911 historical 328 #10,714
1997 modern 1,050 #5,269
1998 modern 1,115 #5,200
1999 modern 1,130 #5,179
2000 modern 1,122 #5,186
2001 modern 1,102 #5,164
2002 modern 1,144 #5,111
2003 modern 1,118 #5,110
2004 modern 1,100 #5,184
2005 modern 1,078 #5,219
2006 modern 1,085 #5,193
2007 modern 1,091 #5,222
2008 modern 1,081 #5,292
2009 modern 1,129 #5,204
2010 modern 1,154 #5,223
2011 modern 1,149 #5,182
2012 modern 1,138 #5,136
2013 modern 1,138 #5,221
2014 modern 1,167 #5,140
2015 modern 1,167 #5,088
2016 modern 1,161 #5,085

Geography

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Where Mowatts are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Mearns North and Inverbervie, Friockheim, Letham and Glamis, Arbroath Harbour and Northumberland. 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 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Fraserburgh Aberdeen
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mearns North and Inverbervie Aberdeenshire
2 Friockheim Angus
3 Letham and Glamis Angus
4 Arbroath Harbour Angus
5 Northumberland 019 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mowatt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mowatt

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Mowatt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mowatt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Mowatt is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Mowatt 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

Mowatt falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mowatt

The surname "MOWATT" is of Scottish origin, deriving from the ancient lands of Mowat or Movat in the district of Forfar. The name is believed to have emerged around the 12th century, with its earliest recorded spelling appearing as "Mouwat" in the Scottish Rolls of 1296.

The name is thought to be derived from the Old English or Old Scots words "mowe" or "mow," meaning a meadow or a field, and "at" or "et," denoting a place or location. This suggests that the original bearers of the name may have hailed from a hamlet or settlement situated in a meadow or grassy area.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which document the swearing of allegiance to King Edward I of England by Scottish noblemen and landholders. Among those listed is "Thome de Mouwat," believed to be the progenitor of the Mowatt family.

In the 14th century, the Mowatts were prominent landowners in the shires of Angus and Forfar, with their ancestral seat located at the estate of Mowat or Movat in the parish of Tannadice. Notable figures from this era include Sir John Mowatt, who was knighted by King Robert II of Scotland in the late 14th century.

The name also appears in various historical records and manuscripts, such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in the 15th century, where individuals like William Mowat and John Mowat are mentioned in relation to land transactions and legal proceedings.

Throughout the centuries, the Mowatt surname has seen variations in spelling, including Movat, Mowat, Mowett, Mowat, and Mouat, reflecting the fluid nature of orthography in earlier times.

Notable individuals bearing the Mowatt surname include:

1. Sir John Mowatt (c. 1370 - c. 1450), a Scottish knight and landowner in Angus. 2. William Mowatt (c. 1425 - c. 1495), a Scottish clergyman who served as the Bishop of Argyll and the Isles. 3. John Mowatt (c. 1560 - c. 1630), a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who authored works on navigation and astronomy. 4. Sir Archibald Mowatt (1680 - 1747), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy and participated in several major battles during the War of the Spanish Succession. 5. Benjamin Mowatt (1718 - 1793), a British naval officer and explorer who conducted surveys and explorations along the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador.

While the Mowatt surname has its roots in Scotland, over time, it has spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and exploration during the colonial era.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mowatt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mowatt 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. Kincardineshire leads with 70 Mowatts recorded in 1881 and an index of 127.83x.

County Total Index
Kincardineshire 70 127.83x
Middlesex 70 1.56x
Midlothian 49 8.13x
Angus 41 9.84x
Lanarkshire 37 2.54x
Aberdeenshire 30 7.20x
Yorkshire 22 0.49x
Lancashire 21 0.39x
Stirlingshire 21 12.66x
Kirkcudbrightshire 17 26.11x
Durham 11 0.82x
Kent 11 0.72x
Sussex 10 1.32x
Orkney 8 16.17x
East Lothian 7 11.75x
Northumberland 5 0.75x
Peeblesshire 5 23.64x
Ayrshire 4 1.19x
Wigtownshire 4 6.70x
Banffshire 3 3.22x
Surrey 3 0.14x
Renfrewshire 2 0.57x
Somerset 2 0.28x
Bedfordshire 1 0.43x
Devon 1 0.11x
Essex 1 0.11x
Fife 1 0.38x
Gloucestershire 1 0.11x
Hampshire 1 0.11x
Herefordshire 1 0.54x
Morayshire 1 1.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bervie in Kincardineshire leads with 51 Mowatts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1574.07x.

Place Total Index
Bervie 51 1574.07x
Alva 20 252.84x
Govan 18 5.00x
Brechin 16 97.74x
Kinneff Catterline 16 1038.96x
Montrose 16 63.37x
St Marylebone London 13 5.41x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 11 4.54x
Fraserburgh 11 93.86x
Colinton 10 148.81x
Glasgow 10 3.87x
Rerrick 10 358.42x
Rochester St Margaret 10 61.80x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 10 156.99x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 8 10.27x
Bethnal Green London 8 4.10x
Patcham 8 588.24x
South Ronaldshay 8 156.25x
Bishopwearmouth 7 6.10x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 8.26x
Everton 7 4.12x
Pencaitland 7 411.76x
South Leith 7 10.33x
Edinburgh Old Church 6 123.97x
Shoreditch London 6 3.08x
St George Hanover 6 10.22x
Arbroath 5 36.21x
Bockenfield 5 3571.43x
Innerleithen 5 89.13x
Kensington London 5 2.00x
Middlesbrough 5 8.62x
Old Monkland 5 8.66x
West Calder 5 42.12x
Whitechapel London 5 11.28x
Whitefriars Precinct 5 694.44x
York St Martin Mklgt W 5 495.05x
Borgue 4 228.57x
Holy Trinity 4 3.73x
Inch 4 68.73x
Monkwearmouth 4 31.23x
North Leith 4 14.35x
Oulton Cum Woodlesford 4 110.50x
Sorn 4 60.51x
Bromley London 3 3.03x
Clerkenwell London 3 2.83x
Fordyce 3 44.71x
Islington London 3 0.69x
Kirkden 3 114.94x
Peterhead 3 13.62x
Tongland 3 234.38x
Barony 2 0.54x
Edinburgh St Georges 2 16.00x
Fettercairn 2 85.84x
Frome 2 11.55x
Lambeth 2 0.51x
Lonmay 2 52.91x
Manchester 2 0.83x
Maryhill 2 7.02x
Walton In Wakefield 2 208.33x
All Hallows Staining 1 357.14x
Bedford St Paul 1 6.26x
Brighton 1 0.65x
Crediton 1 11.27x
Cruden 1 18.66x
Currie 1 27.10x
Dundee 1 0.64x
Edinburgh New North 1 19.08x
Foveran 1 31.75x
Fyvie 1 14.71x
Layton With Warbreck 1 5.11x
Lewes St John Southover 1 19.65x
Methlick 1 30.03x
Middle Greenock 1 10.52x
Mile End Old Town 1 1.41x
Portsmouth 1 4.71x
Rochester St Nicholas 1 20.96x
Sculcoates 1 1.42x
Stoke Newington London 1 2.85x
Thornbury 1 16.58x
Worsley 1 3.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Elizabeth 12
Sarah 7
Jane 6
Alice 5
Emma 3
Ada 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Emmie 2
Laura 2
Lucy 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Annis 1
Barbara 1
Beatrice 1
Bridgett 1
Catherine 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elizh. 1
Ely 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Nancy 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Mowatt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mowatt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 467 people were recorded with the Mowatt surname. That placed it at #7,122 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mowatt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,161 in 2016. That gives Mowatt a modern rank of #5,085.

What does the Mowatt surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a French place name, meaning "high hill" or "promontory".

What does the Mowatt map show?

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