NameCensus.

UK surname

Rowat

In the 1881 census there were 123 people recorded with the Rowat surname, ranking it #17,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 105, ranked #30,114, down from #17,506 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Govan Combination and Cadder. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Nitshill, Greenwich and Sefton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rowat is 153 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.6%.

1881 census count

123

Ranked #17,506

Modern count

105

2016, ranked #30,114

Peak year

1861

153 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rowat had 123 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,506 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016, ranked #30,114.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 153 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Rowat surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rowat surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rowat 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 123 #14,886
1861 historical 153 #15,032
1881 historical 123 #17,506
1891 historical 141 #19,108
1901 historical 140 #18,795
1911 historical 55 #27,313
1997 modern 121 #24,019
1998 modern 122 #24,556
1999 modern 121 #24,855
2000 modern 114 #25,717
2001 modern 110 #25,900
2002 modern 118 #25,358
2003 modern 122 #24,628
2004 modern 113 #25,999
2005 modern 112 #26,114
2006 modern 112 #26,415
2007 modern 115 #26,348
2008 modern 111 #27,225
2009 modern 109 #28,145
2010 modern 108 #28,996
2011 modern 108 #28,811
2012 modern 106 #29,187
2013 modern 111 #28,856
2014 modern 111 #29,113
2015 modern 105 #30,092
2016 modern 105 #30,114

Geography

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Where Rowats are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Govan Combination, Cadder, Glasgow and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Nitshill, Greenwich, Sefton, South Gloucestershire and Helensburgh East. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Cadder Lanark
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Nitshill Glasgow City
2 Greenwich 001 Greenwich
3 Sefton 002 Sefton
4 South Gloucestershire 030 South Gloucestershire
5 Helensburgh East Argyll and Bute

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rowat

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rowat

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Rowat surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rowat household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Rowat is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Rowat 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

Rowat falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rowat is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Rowat families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rowat 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. Lanarkshire leads with 37 Rowats recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.46x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 37 9.46x
Ayrshire 31 34.25x
Renfrewshire 29 30.94x
Stirlingshire 11 24.66x
Dunbartonshire 7 21.54x
Midlothian 4 2.47x
Middlesex 3 0.25x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 5.71x
Norfolk 1 0.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Abbey in Renfrewshire leads with 17 Rowats recorded in 1881 and an index of 118.88x.

Place Total Index
Abbey 17 118.88x
Kilmarnock 15 139.28x
Barony 13 13.13x
Glasgow 13 18.72x
Paisley High Church 11 147.45x
Kilsyth 10 352.11x
Dunlop 8 1428.57x
Cumbernauld 7 393.26x
Galston 7 282.26x
New Monkland 6 51.90x
Cadder 5 173.01x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 6.14x
St Pancras London 2 2.05x
Attleborough 1 106.38x
Campsie 1 40.82x
Neilston 1 21.23x
Poplar London 1 4.38x
Rerrick 1 133.33x
Riccarton 1 72.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Isabella 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 1
Thomas 1
William 1

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 Rowat households.

FAQ

Rowat surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rowat surname in 1881?

In 1881, 123 people were recorded with the Rowat surname. That placed it at #17,506 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rowat surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016. That gives Rowat a modern rank of #30,114.

What does the Rowat map show?

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