NameCensus.

UK surname

Owen

A surname of Welsh origin meaning "well-born" or "noble," derived from the Welsh name "Owain."

In the 1881 census there were 35,558 people recorded with the Owen surname, ranking it #88 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 52,359, ranked #89, down from #88 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Llanbeblig and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Anglesey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Owen is 54,015 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.2%.

1881 census count

35,558

Ranked #88

Modern count

52,359

2016, ranked #89

Peak year

2010

54,015 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Owen had 35,558 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #88 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 52,359 in 2016, ranked #89.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 50,535 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Owen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Owen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Owen 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 23,662 #88
1861 historical 23,474 #88
1881 historical 35,558 #88
1891 historical 39,062 #85
1901 historical 45,500 #84
1911 historical 50,535 #71
1997 modern 50,909 #84
1998 modern 53,410 #84
1999 modern 53,957 #84
2000 modern 53,509 #83
2001 modern 52,249 #83
2002 modern 53,240 #83
2003 modern 52,180 #84
2004 modern 52,090 #85
2005 modern 51,323 #86
2006 modern 51,217 #88
2007 modern 51,678 #89
2008 modern 51,780 #89
2009 modern 53,065 #88
2010 modern 54,015 #88
2011 modern 53,095 #88
2012 modern 52,084 #88
2013 modern 53,025 #88
2014 modern 53,215 #89
2015 modern 52,786 #89
2016 modern 52,359 #89

Geography

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Where Owens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Llanbeblig, London parishes, Manchester and Holyhead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Anglesey. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Llanbeblig Carnarvonshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Holyhead Anglesey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Anglesey 001 Isle of Anglesey
2 Isle of Anglesey 009 Isle of Anglesey
3 Isle of Anglesey 007 Isle of Anglesey
4 Isle of Anglesey 006 Isle of Anglesey
5 Isle of Anglesey 003 Isle of Anglesey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Owen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Owen

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Owen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Owen 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Owen 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

Owen 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

Owen falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Owen

The surname Owen has its origins in Wales and is derived from the Welsh personal name Owain, which is a variation of the Latin name Eugenius, meaning "well-born" or "noble". This name was popular in medieval Wales and was borne by several Welsh princes and kings.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Owen dates back to the 13th century in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The name is thought to have originated from the personal name of a prominent landowner or leader in the region. The earliest known record of the surname is found in the 1292 Chancery Rolls of Pembrokeshire, where a man named Rees Owen is mentioned.

In the 14th century, the surname Owen appeared in various records from different parts of Wales, including the Llyfr Baglan (Baglan Book), a collection of Welsh genealogies and pedigrees. One notable person from this time was Owain Glyndŵr (c. 1349-1416), a Welsh prince and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales. He led a Welsh revolt against the English in the early 15th century.

As the Owen family spread throughout Wales and beyond, the spelling of the surname varied, with forms such as Owan, Owens, and Owain being used. The surname also became associated with certain place names, such as Owenton in Monmouthshire and Owenby in Lincolnshire, England.

In the 16th century, the Owen surname gained prominence with the birth of John Owen (1616-1683), a prominent Puritan minister and theologian who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford. Another notable figure was Robert Owen (1771-1858), a Welsh social reformer and one of the founders of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement.

Other notable individuals with the surname Owen include:

1. William Owen (1769-1825), a Welsh educator and writer who established the first British and Foreign School Society in 1808. 2. Sir Richard Owen (1804-1892), a British biologist and paleontologist who coined the term "dinosaur" and was a pioneer in the study of fossil remains. 3. Wilfred Owen (1893-1918), a renowned English poet and soldier who is considered one of the most influential voices of World War I poetry. 4. Jesse Owen (1913-1980), an American track and field athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, breaking several world records and challenging Nazi ideologies of racial superiority.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Owen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Owen 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 4,791 Owens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.16x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 4,791 1.16x
Caernarfonshire 4,169 29.74x
Anglesey 3,683 59.94x
Staffordshire 2,072 1.77x
Middlesex 1,838 0.53x
Merionethshire 1,808 28.50x
Glamorgan 1,768 2.93x
Shropshire 1,674 5.59x
Montgomeryshire 1,641 20.65x
Cheshire 1,323 1.73x
Yorkshire 1,130 0.33x
Warwickshire 1,030 1.18x
Surrey 879 0.52x
Denbighshire 747 5.70x
Pembrokeshire 635 5.76x
Kent 520 0.44x
Gloucestershire 429 0.63x
Cardiganshire 428 5.06x
Worcestershire 399 0.88x
Carmarthenshire 393 2.69x
Flintshire 293 3.14x
Durham 249 0.24x
Monmouthshire 249 0.99x
Somerset 241 0.43x
Berkshire 230 0.88x
Hampshire 210 0.30x
Derbyshire 200 0.37x
Nottinghamshire 196 0.42x
Brecknockshire 191 2.75x
Northamptonshire 191 0.59x
Oxfordshire 185 0.86x
Devon 160 0.22x
Norfolk 146 0.27x
Essex 140 0.20x
Buckinghamshire 136 0.65x
Lanarkshire 120 0.11x
Lincolnshire 118 0.21x
Herefordshire 109 0.77x
Radnorshire 89 3.18x
Sussex 79 0.14x
Northumberland 77 0.15x
Leicestershire 74 0.19x
Hertfordshire 68 0.28x
Wiltshire 51 0.17x
Cumberland 50 0.17x
Cornwall 35 0.09x
Huntingdonshire 33 0.48x
Midlothian 30 0.06x
Cambridgeshire 29 0.13x
Renfrewshire 26 0.10x
Suffolk 24 0.06x
Ayrshire 23 0.09x
Dorset 19 0.08x
Royal Navy 15 0.36x
Wigtownshire 13 0.28x
Stirlingshire 12 0.09x
Bedfordshire 11 0.06x
Channel Islands 10 0.10x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.03x
Angus 7 0.02x
Dunbartonshire 7 0.08x
Inverness-shire 6 0.06x
Isle of Man 6 0.09x
Argyllshire 5 0.05x
Dumfriesshire 4 0.05x
West Lothian 3 0.06x
Westmorland 3 0.04x
Perthshire 2 0.01x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.03x
Fife 1 0.00x
Sutherland 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holyhead in Anglesey leads with 588 Owens recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.32x.

Place Total Index
Holyhead 588 51.32x
Bangor 426 31.50x
Llanbeblig 420 29.52x
Festiniog 413 30.85x
Amlwch 358 61.90x
Birmingham 332 1.14x
Wolverhampton 319 3.54x
Manchester 273 1.48x
Liverpool 255 1.02x
Aston 253 1.05x
Toxteth Park 253 1.82x
Llanllechid 251 25.46x
West Derby 248 2.06x
Stoke Upon Trent 240 1.93x
Everton 216 1.65x
Ynyscynhaiarn 216 33.09x
Llanidloes 208 35.32x
Lambeth 201 0.66x
Llanberis 190 52.64x
Aberdare 186 4.49x
Islington London 180 0.54x
Llanddeiniolen 178 21.72x
Newtown 167 32.87x
Ystradyfodwg 166 3.13x
Dolgelley 165 34.97x
Salford 163 1.35x
Llandwrog 148 30.13x
Swansea Town 148 2.99x
Llanrug 147 40.03x
Hulme 146 1.70x
St Pancras London 146 0.52x
Chorlton On Medlock 145 2.22x
Llandudno 145 29.01x
Llanllyfni 144 21.76x
Llangefni 142 76.50x
Camberwell 138 0.62x
Llanbadrig 134 106.31x
Oldham 126 0.95x
Merthyr Tydfil 124 2.14x
Walsall Foreign 123 2.03x
Kensington London 122 0.63x
Llandysilio 121 62.78x
Llanelly 120 3.65x
Wolstanton 119 3.35x
Kirkdale 118 1.70x
Llanfihangel Y Traethau 115 31.88x
Worsley 115 4.53x
Warrington 114 2.34x
Llangeinwen 111 98.45x
Denio 108 32.93x
Hackney London 108 0.56x
Bethnal Green London 107 0.71x
Madeley 107 9.74x
Pool 107 17.86x
Talyllyn 105 42.31x
Beaumaris 104 45.93x
Birkenhead 104 1.70x
Great Bolton 104 1.91x
Sheffield 103 0.94x
Oswestry Town 102 10.63x
Towyn 102 25.55x
Trawsfynydd 101 44.05x
Shrewsbury St Mary 99 8.38x
Machynlleth 98 34.16x
Pentraeth 97 99.06x
Broughton In Salford 95 2.53x
Clynnog 93 48.49x
Llanllwchaiarn 91 26.44x
Llanrwst 91 20.07x
Clase 90 4.01x
Eccleston In Prescot 90 4.36x
Paddington London 90 0.71x
Stretford 90 3.98x
Wellington 89 5.29x
Llangelynin 88 64.93x
Nottingham St Mary 87 0.72x
Shrewsbury St Chad 87 8.28x
Wednesfield 87 5.05x
Barton Upon Irwell 86 2.78x
Llanfair Is Gaer 85 43.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2,689
Elizabeth 1,745
Jane 1,224
Sarah 1,118
Margaret 975
Ellen 868
Ann 858
Catherine 486
Anne 442
Eliza 374
Martha 360
Hannah 359
Annie 347
Alice 338
Emma 319
Emily 205
Harriet 177
Edith 159
Maria 155
Fanny 126
Cathrine 118
Louisa 118
Ada 108
Grace 108
Charlotte 105
Kate 103
Clara 93
Florence 93
Laura 92
Caroline 91
Elizth. 90
Lucy 84
Agnes 83
Frances 77
Margret 75
Margt. 74
Gwen 73
Esther 70
Rachel 63
Ellin 59
Amelia 58
Eleanor 57
Susan 57
Jessie 48
Rebecca 47
Susannah 47
Rose 45
Isabella 43
Harriett 42
Matilda 41

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2,627
William 2,350
Thomas 1,541
Richard 781
Robert 711
David 668
James 651
George 595
Edward 535
Henry 478
Owen 418
Joseph 416
Hugh 378
Charles 350
Evan 271
Griffith 217
Samuel 216
Alfred 211
Arthur 195
Albert 140
Frederick 139
Walter 137
Wm. 137
Herbert 97
Daniel 93
Lewis 91
Edwin 90
Benjamin 89
Harry 85
Thos. 82
Ernest 73
Francis 72
Frank 68
Peter 54
Isaac 53
Ellis 51
Morris 47
Richd. 39
Rowland 37
Stephen 33
Edmund 30
Humphrey 30
Jno. 29
Rees 26
Robt. 25
Elias 24
Fred 23
Moses 23
Michael 22
Philip 22

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Owen households.

FAQ

Owen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Owen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 35,558 people were recorded with the Owen surname. That placed it at #88 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Owen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 52,359 in 2016. That gives Owen a modern rank of #89.

What does the Owen surname mean?

A surname of Welsh origin meaning "well-born" or "noble," derived from the Welsh name "Owain."

What does the Owen map show?

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