NameCensus.

UK surname

Pow

A surname referring to someone who hailed from the territory of Poland.

In the 1881 census there were 338 people recorded with the Pow surname, ranking it #8,962 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,010, ranked #5,761, up from #8,962 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tranent and Hawick and Wilton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bath and North East Somerset, Clashindarroch and Denholm and Hermitage.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pow is 1,010 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 198.8%.

1881 census count

338

Ranked #8,962

Modern count

1,010

2016, ranked #5,761

Peak year

2016

1,010 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pow had 338 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,962 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,010 in 2016, ranked #5,761.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 823 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Pow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pow surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pow 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 476 #5,228
1881 historical 338 #8,962
1891 historical 401 #8,860
1901 historical 823 #5,492
1997 modern 922 #5,862
1998 modern 937 #5,969
1999 modern 941 #5,991
2000 modern 936 #6,005
2001 modern 926 #5,951
2002 modern 924 #6,073
2003 modern 931 #5,929
2004 modern 918 #5,993
2005 modern 906 #5,998
2006 modern 911 #5,977
2007 modern 930 #5,936
2008 modern 931 #5,980
2009 modern 930 #6,090
2010 modern 940 #6,167
2011 modern 966 #5,982
2012 modern 952 #5,968
2013 modern 989 #5,877
2014 modern 999 #5,860
2015 modern 1,007 #5,776
2016 modern 1,010 #5,761

Geography

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Where Pows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tranent, Hawick and Wilton, Edinburgh and Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Chilcompton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bath and North East Somerset, Clashindarroch and Denholm and Hermitage. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Tranent Haddington
3 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Chilcompton Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bath and North East Somerset 022 Bath and North East Somerset
2 Clashindarroch Aberdeenshire
3 Denholm and Hermitage Scottish Borders
4 Bath and North East Somerset 016 Bath and North East Somerset
5 Bath and North East Somerset 023 Bath and North East Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pow

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Pow is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pow 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

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

Meaning and origin of Pow

The surname "POW" is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "paw," meaning "a raised mound or hill." This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived on or near a hill or mound.

The earliest known record of the name "POW" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this record, the name appears as "de Pow," indicating that it was likely a place name or a descriptive surname.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name was recorded in various forms, such as "Powe," "Pouwe," and "Poue," reflecting the variations in spelling common during that time period. One notable individual with this surname was John Pow, a merchant from Bristol, England, who lived in the late 14th century.

In the 16th century, the name "POW" began to appear more frequently in historical records. One notable individual from this era was William Pow, a landowner and magistrate from Oxfordshire, England, who lived from 1520 to 1592.

During the 17th century, the surname "POW" was also found in Scotland. One notable individual from this period was Robert Pow, a Scottish Presbyterian minister who lived from 1638 to 1707 and was known for his involvement in the Covenanter movement.

In the 18th century, the name "POW" was relatively widespread in various parts of England and Scotland. One notable individual from this era was Thomas Pow, an English writer and poet who lived from 1767 to 1839 and is known for his work "The Course of Time."

In the 19th century, the surname "POW" continued to be found in various parts of the United Kingdom. One notable individual from this period was John Pow, a Scottish architect who lived from 1817 to 1892 and was known for his work on several churches and public buildings in Scotland.

Throughout its history, the surname "POW" has been associated with various place names and localities, such as Powhill, Powside, and Powdene, which further reinforces the notion that the name may have originated from a descriptive or locational source.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pow 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. East Lothian leads with 125 Pows recorded in 1881 and an index of 137.82x.

County Total Index
East Lothian 125 137.82x
Somerset 103 9.34x
Midlothian 78 8.50x
Gloucestershire 60 4.47x
Devon 40 2.81x
West Lothian 36 34.91x
Northumberland 34 3.34x
Surrey 29 0.87x
Roxburghshire 19 15.32x
Durham 17 0.83x
Stirlingshire 17 6.73x
Lanarkshire 15 0.68x
Selkirkshire 15 24.21x
Fife 14 3.45x
Yorkshire 12 0.18x
Glamorgan 11 0.92x
Middlesex 11 0.16x
Berwickshire 10 12.06x
Kirkcudbrightshire 10 10.09x
Lancashire 10 0.12x
Renfrewshire 5 0.94x
Worcestershire 5 0.56x
Dunbartonshire 4 2.17x
Channel Islands 3 1.48x
Clackmannanshire 3 5.31x
Peeblesshire 3 9.31x
Angus 2 0.32x
Ayrshire 2 0.39x
Warwickshire 2 0.12x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.16x
Kent 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 1 0.24x
Royal Navy 1 1.23x
Shetland 1 1.43x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x
Sussex 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tranent in East Lothian leads with 49 Pows recorded in 1881 and an index of 400.00x.

Place Total Index
Tranent 49 400.00x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 41 11.11x
Prestonpans 30 493.42x
Walcot 28 47.69x
Bitton Oldland 27 196.65x
Tynemouth 26 47.65x
Bathgate 16 71.46x
Farmborough 15 757.58x
Gateshead 15 9.83x
Haddington 15 112.02x
Bristol St George 14 22.54x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 14 11.07x
Whitekirk Tynninghame 12 483.87x
Barnstaple 11 49.17x
Cardiff St Mary 11 16.75x
Midsomer Norton 11 105.97x
Paulton 11 217.82x
Lauder 10 218.34x
Torphichen 10 278.55x
Manningham 9 10.77x
Northam 9 86.62x
Stirling 9 28.27x
Urr 9 69.82x
Wilton 9 66.13x
Fala Soutra 8 1095.89x
Lynton 8 281.69x
Rotherhithe 8 9.46x
Slamannan 8 57.85x
Spott 8 588.24x
Edinburgh Old 7 125.67x
Ford 7 188.17x
Inveresk 7 28.18x
Bedminster 6 5.79x
Govan 6 1.10x
Hobkirk 6 384.62x
Linlithgow 6 45.39x
Roberton 6 451.13x
Salford 6 2.51x
Southwark St Saviour 6 17.05x
St Andrews 6 32.54x
Wellow 6 185.19x
Bideford 5 32.74x
Camberwell 5 1.14x
Claines 5 20.37x
Cupar 5 28.36x
Gladsmuir 5 123.76x
West Greenock 5 5.25x
Bath St Michael 4 71.81x
Bath St Peter St Paul 4 82.14x
Boness 4 28.13x
Galashiels 4 17.47x
Lyncombe Widcombe 4 13.86x
Melrose 4 25.66x
New Monkland 4 6.11x
Newington 4 1.58x
Old Kilpatrick 4 18.39x
Spitalfields London 4 7.77x
Twerton 4 35.18x
Walton On Hill 4 9.09x
Dalziel 3 12.59x
Ferry Port On Craig 3 44.98x
St Helier 3 4.54x
Tillicoultry 3 23.85x
Tooting Graveney 3 32.33x
Wick Abson 3 145.63x
Winford 3 135.14x
Athelstaneford 2 111.73x
Atherstone 2 22.68x
Barony 2 0.36x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 2 16.35x
Cranston 2 85.47x
Dunbar 2 15.72x
Edinburgh Canongate 2 8.57x
Edinburgh Greenside 2 16.50x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 2 31.50x
Hawick 2 7.20x
Innerleithen 2 23.39x
Lambeth 2 0.34x
St Marylebone London 2 0.55x
Weston 2 23.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Elizabeth 17
Emma 10
Jane 9
Eliza 8
Hannah 7
Sarah 7
Ann 5
Emily 5
Kate 5
Louisa 5
Amelia 4
Charlotte 4
Martha 4
Susan 4
Helena 3
Hester 3
Isabella 3
Alice 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Harriet 2
Linda 2
Margaret 2
Minnie 2
Amy 1
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Blanche 1
C. 1
Catherin 1
Clarissa 1
E. 1
E.A. 1
E.M. 1
Emley 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Ida 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Johanna 1
Katherine 1
L. 1
Laura 1
Lilley 1
Lily 1
Louise 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 25
John 20
Robert 14
George 12
Frederick 8
Henry 7
James 7
Thomas 7
Charles 5
David 5
Edward 4
Joseph 4
Samuel 4
Alfred 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Richard 2
A. 1
AH 1
Abraham 1
Allan 1
Allen 1
Archibald 1
Arthyr 1
Christopher 1
Edwin 1
Emily 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Fred.E. 1
Fredrick 1
Jacob 1
Owen 1
Stancell 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1
W. 1
Wallice 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Pow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 338 people were recorded with the Pow surname. That placed it at #8,962 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,010 in 2016. That gives Pow a modern rank of #5,761.

What does the Pow surname mean?

A surname referring to someone who hailed from the territory of Poland.

What does the Pow map show?

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