NameCensus.

UK surname

Owens

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

In the 1881 census there were 14,922 people recorded with the Owens surname, ranking it #265 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 15,316, ranked #413, down from #265 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Toxteth Park and Merthyr Tydfil. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Flintshire, Wrexham and Isle of Anglesey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Owens is 15,509 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.6%.

1881 census count

14,922

Ranked #265

Modern count

15,316

2016, ranked #413

Peak year

2010

15,509 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Owens had 14,922 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #265 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 15,316 in 2016, ranked #413.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 14,922 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Owens surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Owens surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Owens 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 12,583 #193
1861 historical 12,354 #198
1881 historical 14,922 #265
1891 historical 14,015 #301
1901 historical 14,764 #358
1911 historical 13,543 #360
1997 modern 14,143 #429
1998 modern 14,666 #426
1999 modern 14,971 #422
2000 modern 14,894 #422
2001 modern 14,621 #421
2002 modern 14,957 #421
2003 modern 14,673 #418
2004 modern 14,691 #415
2005 modern 14,548 #417
2006 modern 14,516 #418
2007 modern 14,662 #420
2008 modern 14,771 #421
2009 modern 15,188 #417
2010 modern 15,509 #417
2011 modern 15,231 #420
2012 modern 14,960 #421
2013 modern 15,291 #420
2014 modern 15,473 #416
2015 modern 15,295 #414
2016 modern 15,316 #413

Geography

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Where Owens' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Toxteth Park, Merthyr Tydfil, Llanddeiniolen and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Flintshire, Wrexham and 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
4 Llanddeiniolen Carnarvonshire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Flintshire 003 Flintshire
2 Wrexham 017 Wrexham
3 Wrexham 015 Wrexham
4 Wrexham 006 Wrexham
5 Isle of Anglesey 001 Isle of Anglesey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Owens

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Owens

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

Owens is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Owens

The surname Owens is of Welsh origin and is derived from the medieval Welsh personal name Owain, which is a cognate of the name Owen. Owain itself derived from the Welsh word 'eogyn', meaning 'youth' or 'young warrior'. The surname likely emerged in the 12th or 13th century as the use of hereditary surnames became more prevalent in Wales.

Owens is a common spelling variation of the Welsh patronymic surname ap Owen, meaning 'son of Owen'. Other early spellings included Oweyn, Oven, and Owyne. The name was particularly prominent in the counties of Anglesey, Caernarvonshire, and Merionethshire in North Wales.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Owain Gwynedd, Prince of Gwynedd, who lived from around 1100 to 1170. He is considered one of the most celebrated Welsh rulers of the medieval period and played a significant role in the struggle for Welsh independence against the Normans.

The Domesday Book, a great survey of landowners in England and Wales commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any references to the surname Owens or its variants. However, it does mention several individuals with the personal name Owain or Owen.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records and manuscripts, such as the Patent Rolls of King Edward III, which mentioned an Ythel ap Oweyn in 1343. Another early reference was found in the Merioneth Lay Subsidy Roll of 1292-3, listing a Thomas ap Oweyn.

Notable individuals with the surname Owens throughout history include:

1. Wilfred Owen (1893-1918), an influential English poet and soldier who is widely regarded as one of the leading poets of the First World War.

2. Robert Owens (c. 1771-1858), an English industrialist and social reformer who founded the utopian settlement of New Harmony, Indiana.

3. Jesse Owens (1913-1980), an American track and field athlete who achieved international fame at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by winning four gold medals.

4. Iris Owens (1923-2008), an American biochemist and researcher who made significant contributions to the understanding of Alzheimer's disease.

5. Gary Owens (1936-2015), an American voice actor and radio announcer best known for his work on the comedy series Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Owens families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Owens 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 2,164 Owens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.26x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2,164 1.26x
Caernarfonshire 2,052 34.98x
Denbighshire 1,055 19.25x
Glamorgan 1,033 4.09x
Anglesey 826 32.12x
Merionethshire 690 25.99x
Pembrokeshire 657 14.25x
Cardiganshire 616 17.41x
Cheshire 529 1.65x
Montgomeryshire 521 15.67x
Flintshire 511 13.10x
Carmarthenshire 466 7.62x
Durham 372 0.86x
Lanarkshire 355 0.76x
Middlesex 282 0.19x
Shropshire 273 2.18x
Monmouthshire 261 2.49x
Yorkshire 219 0.15x
Radnorshire 160 13.67x
Surrey 146 0.21x
Somerset 141 0.60x
Herefordshire 109 1.83x
Staffordshire 108 0.22x
Worcestershire 105 0.55x
Brecknockshire 97 3.34x
Gloucestershire 90 0.32x
Kent 84 0.17x
Warwickshire 83 0.23x
Ayrshire 80 0.74x
Northumberland 80 0.37x
Devon 76 0.25x
Essex 73 0.25x
Hampshire 51 0.17x
Midlothian 51 0.26x
Cumberland 47 0.38x
Renfrewshire 45 0.40x
Derbyshire 35 0.15x
Stirlingshire 31 0.58x
Dunbartonshire 29 0.74x
Cornwall 26 0.16x
Sussex 23 0.09x
Bedfordshire 19 0.25x
Berkshire 15 0.14x
Northamptonshire 15 0.11x
Oxfordshire 13 0.15x
Hertfordshire 12 0.12x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.06x
Ross-shire 12 0.30x
Inverness-shire 11 0.25x
Lincolnshire 10 0.04x
Royal Navy 10 0.58x
Selkirkshire 10 0.76x
Kirkcudbrightshire 9 0.43x
Angus 8 0.06x
Buckinghamshire 8 0.09x
East Lothian 8 0.42x
Fife 7 0.08x
Suffolk 6 0.03x
West Lothian 5 0.23x
Wigtownshire 5 0.26x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.03x
Dorset 4 0.04x
Westmorland 3 0.09x
Berwickshire 2 0.11x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.02x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.06x
Norfolk 2 0.01x
Rutland 2 0.19x
Argyllshire 1 0.02x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.03x
Leicestershire 1 0.01x
Wiltshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 431 Owens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.12x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 431 4.12x
Everton 366 6.67x
Toxteth Park 294 5.04x
Bangor 235 41.53x
Llanllechid 217 52.61x
Merthyr Tydfil 195 8.03x
Festiniog 193 34.46x
Llanddeiniolen 182 53.07x
Llanbeblig 178 29.90x
Bedwellty 174 9.40x
Swansea Town 172 8.30x
Birkenhead 165 6.46x
West Derby 152 3.02x
Llanllyfni 146 52.73x
Kirkdale 135 4.66x
Ruabon 133 17.65x
Llanelly 105 7.62x
Amlwch 100 41.32x
Ystradyfodwg 96 4.33x
Glasgow 92 1.10x
Llanrug 88 57.27x
Llanwnda 86 79.11x
Holyhead 85 17.73x
Aberdare 84 4.84x
Llandegai 81 45.11x
Llandwrog 78 37.95x
Holywell 77 15.72x
Walton On Hill 76 8.15x
Rhuddlan 74 21.55x
Llansannan 64 116.19x
Govan 63 0.54x
Tranmere 62 5.27x
Wigan 62 2.58x
Dolwyddelan 61 96.26x
Llandegfan 61 116.52x
Steynton 61 40.93x
Llandysilio 59 73.16x
Llansamlet Lower 59 25.80x
Darowen 58 119.66x
Llaneilian 57 119.55x
Barony 56 0.47x
Conway 54 47.54x
Llanfair Fechan 54 53.22x
Birmingham 53 0.43x
Flint 53 23.94x
Penbryn 51 73.83x
Lambeth 50 0.40x
Llanidloes 50 20.29x
Llanfihangel Y Traethau 49 32.47x
Llanwonno 49 5.40x
West Ham 48 0.76x
Llanrwst 47 24.77x
Bootle Cum Linacre 46 3.36x
Denbigh 46 20.91x
Ynyscynhaiarn 46 16.84x
Carmarthen St Peter 44 8.42x
Pembrey 44 15.65x
Llangranog 43 109.89x
Salford 43 0.85x
Beddgelert 41 61.84x
Cardigan St Mary 41 30.24x
Pistill 40 88.61x
Swansea St Thomas 40 15.76x
Llanfair Talhaiarn 39 66.27x
Brymbo 38 19.91x
Eglwysfach 38 67.95x
Llanaber 38 36.18x
Nevin 38 38.16x
St Dogmells 38 31.02x
Abererch 37 43.09x
Llanrhaiadr Ym Mochnant 37 34.51x
Pembroke St Mary 37 6.23x
Penmachno 37 35.77x
Whitford 37 18.31x
Aberystwith 36 11.82x
Blaenporth 36 106.60x
Clase 36 3.83x
Dolgelley 36 18.23x
Bersham 35 14.97x
Manerdivy 35 93.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,280
Elizabeth 685
Jane 568
Margaret 500
Sarah 430
Ann 397
Ellen 303
Catherine 252
Anne 235
Hannah 152
Martha 130
Eliza 124
Annie 102
Alice 89
Emma 74
Emily 71
Cathrine 59
Maria 59
Grace 52
Margret 47
Harriet 43
Rachel 42
Laura 39
Frances 38
Fanny 35
Eleanor 34
Elizth. 34
Gwen 33
Kate 33
Esther 31
Charlotte 30
Ellin 30
Edith 29
Susan 28
Margt. 27
Louisa 26
Isabella 25
Bridget 24
Dorothy 23
Florence 22
Caroline 20
Agnes 19
Rebecca 19
Catharine 18
Amelia 17
Anna 17
Maggie 17
Phoebe 17
Jessie 16
Matilda 16

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1,205
William 774
Owen 673
Thomas 620
David 391
Robert 331
Richard 271
James 238
Edward 213
George 168
Hugh 152
Evan 130
Henry 129
Joseph 104
Charles 80
Samuel 73
Daniel 72
Griffith 53
Benjamin 48
Alfred 39
Arthur 39
Wm. 38
Patrick 36
Peter 36
Lewis 35
Francis 29
Isaac 29
Elias 28
Frederick 28
Michael 28
Albert 27
Morris 20
Thos. 20
Edwin 19
Humphrey 17
Rees 17
Herbert 16
Rowland 15
Walter 15
Frank 14
Price 13
Ellis 12
Richd. 12
Stephen 12
Harry 11
Ernest 10
Joshua 10
Martin 10
Morgan 10
Robt. 10

FAQ

Owens surname: questions and answers

How common was the Owens surname in 1881?

In 1881, 14,922 people were recorded with the Owens surname. That placed it at #265 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Owens surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 15,316 in 2016. That gives Owens a modern rank of #413.

What does the Owens surname mean?

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

What does the Owens map show?

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