NameCensus.

UK surname

Powles

Of English origin, a derivative of the word "poll" meaning a head, referring to someone with an oddly shaped skull or head.

In the 1881 census there were 563 people recorded with the Powles surname, ranking it #6,155 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,038, ranked #5,614, up from #6,155 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Monmouth, Salhouse and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean, Herefordshire and Merthyr Tydfil.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Powles is 1,099 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 84.4%.

1881 census count

563

Ranked #6,155

Modern count

1,038

2016, ranked #5,614

Peak year

2011

1,099 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Powles had 563 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,155 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,038 in 2016, ranked #5,614.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 895 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Powles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Powles surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Powles 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 455 #5,423
1861 historical 526 #4,984
1881 historical 563 #6,155
1891 historical 701 #5,596
1901 historical 773 #5,800
1911 historical 895 #4,973
1997 modern 1,060 #5,235
1998 modern 1,098 #5,273
1999 modern 1,091 #5,321
2000 modern 1,063 #5,412
2001 modern 1,051 #5,365
2002 modern 1,071 #5,390
2003 modern 1,083 #5,250
2004 modern 1,067 #5,317
2005 modern 1,047 #5,347
2006 modern 1,045 #5,377
2007 modern 1,079 #5,265
2008 modern 1,084 #5,282
2009 modern 1,086 #5,373
2010 modern 1,089 #5,485
2011 modern 1,099 #5,376
2012 modern 1,092 #5,326
2013 modern 1,082 #5,448
2014 modern 1,081 #5,494
2015 modern 1,052 #5,563
2016 modern 1,038 #5,614

Geography

Back to top

Where Powles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Monmouth, Salhouse, London parishes and East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean, Herefordshire, Merthyr Tydfil and Great Yarmouth. 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 Monmouth Monmouthshire
2 Salhouse Norfolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 007 Forest of Dean
2 Herefordshire 023 Herefordshire, County of
3 Merthyr Tydfil 003 Merthyr Tydfil
4 Forest of Dean 008 Forest of Dean
5 Great Yarmouth 003 Great Yarmouth

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Powles

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Powles

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Powles surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Powles household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Powles 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

Powles is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Powles

The surname Powles has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "paul," which referred to a small pool or pond. This suggests that the name may have originally been used to identify someone who lived near a body of water.

One of the earliest known references to the name Powles can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were a census-like record of landowners and their holdings. In these rolls, a man named Thomas Powles is listed as holding land in the county of Oxfordshire.

Throughout the centuries, the name has been spelled in various ways, including Powles, Poules, Pooley, and Pouley. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling during those times.

In the 16th century, a notable individual named William Powles (1511-1571) served as the Master of Requests to Queen Elizabeth I. He played a significant role in the English Reformation and was involved in the dissolution of monasteries.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Powles. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Poole in Dorset and Pooley in Cumbria.

Another prominent figure with the surname Powles was Sir Henry Powles (1630-1692), an English lawyer and politician who served as the Solicitor General and Speaker of the House of Commons during the reign of King Charles II.

In the late 18th century, John Powles (1760-1840) gained recognition as a renowned British architect. He designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Physicians and St. Mary's Church in Marylebone.

The surname Powles has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Powles Wood in Warwickshire, Powles Close in Gloucestershire, and Powles Farm in Kent. These locations may have been named after individuals bearing the Powles surname, further emphasizing the name's historical roots in the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Powles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Powles 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. Herefordshire leads with 123 Powles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.31x.

County Total Index
Herefordshire 123 55.31x
Norfolk 122 14.63x
Middlesex 53 0.98x
Staffordshire 38 2.08x
Surrey 35 1.32x
Monmouthshire 34 8.67x
Warwickshire 30 2.19x
Worcestershire 26 3.67x
Gloucestershire 20 1.88x
Radnorshire 13 29.71x
Kent 9 0.49x
Lancashire 9 0.14x
Brecknockshire 7 6.45x
Suffolk 7 1.06x
Cheshire 5 0.42x
Glamorgan 5 0.53x
Shropshire 5 1.07x
Devon 4 0.35x
Yorkshire 3 0.06x
Derbyshire 2 0.24x
Essex 2 0.19x
Montgomeryshire 2 1.61x
Hampshire 1 0.09x
Sussex 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Winterton in Norfolk leads with 47 Powles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3197.28x.

Place Total Index
Winterton 47 3197.28x
Great Yarmouth 19 27.50x
Poplar London 13 12.70x
Birmingham 12 2.63x
Pembridge 12 489.80x
Salhouse 11 940.17x
Clapham 10 14.75x
Coventry Holy Trinity 10 24.49x
Dixton Hadnock 10 1000.00x
Monmouth 10 96.15x
Staunton On Wye 10 1010.10x
Ditchingham 9 450.00x
Gimingham 9 1764.71x
Hope Under Dinmore 9 978.26x
Kimbolton 9 782.61x
Linton In Newent 8 465.12x
Battersea 7 3.51x
Bedwellty 7 10.11x
Garway 7 707.07x
Kidderminster Borough 7 16.89x
St Pancras London 7 1.60x
Alrewas Hays Orgreave 6 1428.57x
Birley 6 2068.97x
Camberwell 6 1.73x
Handsworth 6 13.30x
Islington London 6 1.14x
Lambeth 6 1.27x
Shoreditch London 6 2.55x
Weston Under Penyard 6 384.62x
Amblecote 5 95.79x
Aston 5 1.33x
Bromley London 5 4.19x
Charlton Kings 5 67.93x
Chester St Mary On Hill 5 48.69x
Eardisland 5 344.83x
Eastham 5 793.65x
Faversham 5 28.33x
Kington 5 90.74x
Longtown 5 362.32x
West Bromwich 5 4.77x
Westbury On Severn East 5 20.79x
Whittington 5 133.69x
Broughton In Salford 4 6.80x
Burghill 4 158.73x
Denton 4 444.44x
East Somerton 4 4444.44x
Exeter St Sidwell 4 15.47x
Hackford In Aylsham 4 266.67x
Ipswich St Mathew 4 21.61x
Leintwardine 4 547.95x
Llanbedr Paincastle 4 869.57x
Ludlow St Lawrence 4 42.92x
Newcastle Under Lyme 4 12.35x
Newland 4 44.74x
Norwich St Clement 4 41.37x
Ombersley 4 101.27x
Paddington London 4 2.01x
St Marylebone London 4 1.38x
Yardley 4 22.08x
Cwmdauddwr 3 212.77x
Egham 3 18.50x
Eye 3 229.01x
Goodrich 3 215.83x
Holmer 3 75.00x
Huntington In Kington 3 625.00x
Leamington Priors 3 8.92x
Leominster Out 3 143.54x
Liverpool 3 0.77x
Merthyr Tydfil 3 3.31x
Orleton 3 280.37x
Builth 2 74.07x
Derby St Peter 2 7.39x
Hemsby 2 166.67x
Keele 2 102.56x
Leominster 2 21.74x
Michaelchurch 2 952.38x
Pool 2 21.34x
Pulham St Mary Magdalen 2 95.69x
Stone 2 8.54x
West Dean 2 11.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 36
Elizabeth 30
Eliza 17
Emma 15
Ann 12
Alice 11
Hannah 10
Sarah 10
Annie 8
Caroline 8
Jane 8
Charlotte 7
Ellen 6
Emily 5
Margaret 5
Martha 5
Edith 4
Amelia 3
Fanny 3
Jessie 3
Laura 3
Louisa 3
Amy 2
Bertha 2
Betsy 2
Catherine 2
Christiana 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Julia 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Matilda 2
Miriam 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Bessie 1
Blanche 1
Elitha 1
Elizath. 1
Ella 1
Emiley 1
Gurtrude 1
Harriette 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Jannet 1
Juliana 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 34
John 26
George 25
Henry 20
Thomas 19
James 17
Charles 14
Richard 10
Alfred 8
Edward 8
Robert 8
Arthur 7
Joseph 7
Walter 7
Peter 4
Albert 3
Edwin 3
Frederick 3
Barnabas 2
David 2
Frank 2
Jobe 2
Kenneth 2
Lewis 2
Austin 1
Benjamin 1
Charle 1
Daniel 1
Dennis 1
Dudley 1
Ernest 1
Evelyn 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Geo 1
Harry 1
Heber 1
Henery 1
Horace 1
Hy. 1
Josiah 1
Kennith 1
Louis 1
Michael 1
Rhichard 1
Richd.J. 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Powles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Powles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 563 people were recorded with the Powles surname. That placed it at #6,155 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Powles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,038 in 2016. That gives Powles a modern rank of #5,614.

What does the Powles surname mean?

Of English origin, a derivative of the word "poll" meaning a head, referring to someone with an oddly shaped skull or head.

What does the Powles map show?

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