NameCensus.

UK surname

Olowu

An Yoruba surname referring to a wealthy or prosperous person.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Islington, Hackney and Southwark.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Olowu is 168 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

156

2016, ranked #23,098

Peak year

2010

168 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 156 in 2016, ranked #23,098.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Olowu surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Olowu surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Olowu 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
1997 modern 70 #30,618
1998 modern 70 #30,968
1999 modern 82 #29,933
2000 modern 108 #26,549
2001 modern 104 #26,765
2002 modern 119 #25,231
2003 modern 126 #24,146
2004 modern 132 #23,625
2005 modern 140 #22,774
2006 modern 148 #22,111
2007 modern 156 #21,650
2008 modern 161 #21,431
2009 modern 165 #21,552
2010 modern 168 #21,733
2011 modern 158 #22,473
2012 modern 163 #21,989
2013 modern 162 #22,433
2014 modern 167 #22,180
2015 modern 156 #23,106
2016 modern 156 #23,098

Geography

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Where Olowus are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Islington, Hackney, Southwark and Barnet. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Islington 007 Islington
2 Hackney 021 Hackney
3 Hackney 019 Hackney
4 Southwark 019 Southwark
5 Barnet 028 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Olowu

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Olowu

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Olowu surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Olowu 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 includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Olowu 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

Olowu 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

Olowu falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Olowu is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 40-50 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

7
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Black - African

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

Meaning and origin of Olowu

The surname Olowu is of Yoruba origin from southwestern Nigeria. It is believed to have emerged in the 15th or 16th century as a name associated with the Oyo Empire, a powerful Yoruba state that dominated the region during that time period.

The name Olowu is derived from the Yoruba words "olu" meaning "owner" or "lord", and "owu" which refers to a type of trade commodity or material goods. Together, the name Olowu can be interpreted to mean something along the lines of "owner of wealth" or "lord of goods".

While the exact origins of the name are unclear, some historians suggest it may have been a title or descriptor given to influential merchants or traders within the Oyo Empire's economic system. Others propose it could have referred to high-ranking officials or nobles responsible for managing the empire's resources and trade activities.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Olowu can be found in oral histories and folklore from the Oyo region, where it is mentioned in connection with certain prominent families and lineages. However, specific individuals bearing the name are not directly named in these accounts.

The first known documented use of the surname Olowu dates back to the late 17th century, when it appears in records related to the Oyo Empire's interactions with European traders and explorers visiting the region. An entry from 1691 mentions an "Olowu of Oyo" who was involved in negotiations with representatives of the Royal African Company of England.

Notable individuals with the surname Olowu throughout history include:

1. Abiodun Olowu (c. 1780 - 1837), a powerful military leader and regent of the Oyo Empire in the early 19th century.

2. Adeyinka Olowu (1906 - 1992), a Nigerian educator and one of the first female graduates of Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone.

3. Olajide Olowu (1923 - 2013), a Nigerian lawyer and politician who served as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Western Nigeria in the 1960s.

4. Folarin Olowu (1935 - 2008), a Nigerian writer, playwright, and cultural activist known for his works exploring Yoruba traditions and folklore.

5. Abiola Olowu (born 1980), a contemporary Nigerian fashion designer and creative director based in London, known for her bold and unconventional designs.

While not as widely dispersed as some other African surnames, the name Olowu continues to be prevalent among certain Yoruba communities and families, particularly those with historical ties to the Oyo region and its once-powerful empire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Olowu surname: questions and answers

How common is the Olowu surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 156 in 2016. That gives Olowu a modern rank of #23,098.

What does the Olowu surname mean?

An Yoruba surname referring to a wealthy or prosperous person.

What does the Olowu map show?

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