UK surname
An occupational surname derived from one who rowed or worked as a rower.
In the 1881 census there were 48 people recorded with the Rower surname, ranking it #26,869 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12, ranked #37,385, down from #26,869 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Moulton, Wilmslow and Sutton with Duckmanton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rower is 336 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 75.0%.
1881 census count
48
Ranked #26,869
Modern count
12
2016, ranked #37,385
Peak year
1861
336 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Rower surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Rower surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 69 | #21,148 |
| 1861 | historical | 336 | #7,589 |
| 1881 | historical | 48 | #26,869 |
| 1891 | historical | 175 | #16,467 |
| 1901 | historical | 81 | #25,130 |
| 1911 | historical | 79 | #24,903 |
| 1997 | modern | 29 | #34,795 |
| 1998 | modern | 12 | #36,790 |
| 1999 | modern | 15 | #36,476 |
| 2000 | modern | 10 | #37,001 |
| 2001 | modern | 6 | #37,456 |
| 2002 | modern | 5 | #37,723 |
| 2003 | modern | 8 | #37,248 |
| 2004 | modern | 11 | #36,969 |
| 2005 | modern | 10 | #37,180 |
| 2006 | modern | 11 | #37,118 |
| 2007 | modern | 11 | #37,217 |
| 2008 | modern | 11 | #37,270 |
| 2009 | modern | 12 | #37,230 |
| 2010 | modern | 12 | #37,307 |
| 2011 | modern | 13 | #37,191 |
| 2012 | modern | 9 | #37,614 |
| 2013 | modern | 13 | #37,224 |
| 2014 | modern | 12 | #37,355 |
| 2015 | modern | 12 | #37,371 |
| 2016 | modern | 12 | #37,385 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Moulton, Wilmslow, Sutton with Duckmanton, Manchester and St Austell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moulton | Lincolnshire |
| 2 | Wilmslow | Cheshire |
| 3 | Sutton with Duckmanton | Derbyshire |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | St Austell | Cornwall |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Rower surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rower, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Rower surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Rower household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Rower is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rower is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Rower, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Rower has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word 'rowere', meaning a rower or boatman. This occupational name was likely given to someone who worked on boats, rowing or ferrying people across rivers or other bodies of water.
In medieval times, many English towns and villages were situated along rivers, making the occupation of a rower quite common. The earliest recorded instance of the Rower surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a person named Robert le Rouwere is mentioned.
The Rower name also appears in various other historical records, such as the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1343, where a William Rower is listed. In the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, a John le Rouwer is recorded, indicating the variations in spelling that were common in those times.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Rower surname was John Rower, a merchant who lived in London in the late 14th century. He is mentioned in the City of London's Letter Books, which contain records of the city's affairs and transactions from that era.
Another notable Rower was Sir Thomas Rower, who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1470. He was a successful merchant and a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers, one of the oldest livery companies in the city.
In the 16th century, there was a family of Rowers who owned land and property in the village of Rowington, near Warwick. This place name is believed to be derived from the same Old English root as the Rower surname, further reinforcing the connection between the name and the occupation of rowing or boating.
During the 17th century, the Rower name spread to other parts of England, as well as to Ireland and Scotland. One notable Scottish bearer of the name was Robert Rower, who was born in Edinburgh in 1622 and became a renowned scholar and writer.
As the centuries passed, the Rower surname continued to be found throughout the British Isles and beyond, with bearers of the name making their mark in various fields, including literature, politics, and the arts.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rower surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lincolnshire leads with 26 Rowers recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.75x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lincolnshire | 26 | 34.75x |
| Gloucestershire | 5 | 5.45x |
| Aberdeenshire | 4 | 9.23x |
| Middlesex | 4 | 0.85x |
| Yorkshire | 2 | 0.43x |
| Devon | 1 | 1.03x |
| Essex | 1 | 1.08x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 1.39x |
| Northamptonshire | 1 | 2.27x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 1.75x |
| Surrey | 1 | 0.44x |
| Sussex | 1 | 1.27x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manthorpe Cum Little in Lincolnshire leads with 9 Rowers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1578.95x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Manthorpe Cum Little | 9 | 1578.95x |
| Gedney | 6 | 1935.48x |
| Moulton | 6 | 1666.67x |
| Bristol St James In | 5 | 370.37x |
| Holbeach | 5 | 602.41x |
| Aberdeen Old Machar | 4 | 44.20x |
| Barnsley | 2 | 41.84x |
| Islington London | 2 | 4.41x |
| Shoreditch London | 2 | 9.86x |
| Chelmondiston | 1 | 714.29x |
| Colchester St Giles | 1 | 109.89x |
| Heigham | 1 | 25.91x |
| Lambeth | 1 | 2.45x |
| Northampton All Sts | 1 | 67.11x |
| Portslade | 1 | 208.33x |
| Tormoham | 1 | 24.27x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Rower surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Rower surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Rower households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 6 |
| Baker | 2 |
| Butcher | 2 |
| (Dom Serv) | 1 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Boarding Sch Scholar | 1 |
| Butcher Empg 1 Boy | 1 |
| Chemists Labourer (Porter) | 1 |
| Deal Runner | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Draper | 1 |
| Dyers Labourer | 1 |
| General Servt | 1 |
| Green Grocers Labourer | 1 |
| Grocers Porter | 1 |
| Jewel Box Maker (Leath Gds) | 1 |
| Jewel Case Liner (Leather Gds) | 1 |
| Machinist | 1 |
| Retired Farmer | 1 |
| Soldier | 1 |
| Stone Mason | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 48 people were recorded with the Rower surname. That placed it at #26,869 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 12 in 2016. That gives Rower a modern rank of #37,385.
An occupational surname derived from one who rowed or worked as a rower.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rower bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.