NameCensus.

UK surname

Rowley

Derived from a place name meaning "Rolf's meadow" in Old English, referring to a person who lived there.

In the 1881 census there were 7,865 people recorded with the Rowley surname, ranking it #532 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12,653, ranked #508, up from #532 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Wolstanton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newcastle-under-Lyme, Telford and Wrekin and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rowley is 13,229 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.9%.

1881 census count

7,865

Ranked #532

Modern count

12,653

2016, ranked #508

Peak year

1999

13,229 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rowley had 7,865 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #532 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 12,653 in 2016, ranked #508.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 11,478 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rowley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rowley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Rowley 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 4,820 #576
1861 historical 4,671 #610
1881 historical 7,865 #532
1891 historical 8,490 #519
1901 historical 10,274 #510
1911 historical 11,478 #429
1997 modern 12,011 #512
1998 modern 13,201 #480
1999 modern 13,229 #482
2000 modern 13,164 #481
2001 modern 12,923 #478
2002 modern 13,161 #480
2003 modern 12,864 #478
2004 modern 12,690 #484
2005 modern 12,446 #490
2006 modern 12,352 #494
2007 modern 12,462 #496
2008 modern 12,488 #497
2009 modern 12,786 #499
2010 modern 12,958 #504
2011 modern 12,818 #502
2012 modern 12,607 #499
2013 modern 12,913 #497
2014 modern 12,926 #504
2015 modern 12,793 #506
2016 modern 12,653 #508

Geography

Back to top

Where Rowleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Wolstanton, London parishes and Burslem. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newcastle-under-Lyme, Telford and Wrekin, County Durham, Broxtowe and Stoke-on-Trent. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Wolstanton Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Burslem Staffordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newcastle-under-Lyme 005 Newcastle-under-Lyme
2 Telford and Wrekin 014 Telford and Wrekin
3 County Durham 059 County Durham
4 Broxtowe 002 Broxtowe
5 Stoke-on-Trent 019 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Rowley

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Rowley

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rowley 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

Rowley is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Rowley

The surname Rowley has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "ra" meaning rough and "leah" meaning woodland clearing, referring to someone who lived in or near a rough woodland clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rowley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Rauleia" and "Raueleia." This suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various forms, including Ralegh, Rawley, and Rowleigh, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling. One notable bearer of the name was Sir Walter Raleigh (c. 1552-1618), an English writer, poet, soldier, and explorer who is best known for his expeditions to the Americas and his role in establishing the first English colony on Roanoke Island.

In the 16th century, the Rowley surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Staffordshire, and Derbyshire. The village of Rowley Regis in the West Midlands is believed to have taken its name from a family that lived in the area during this period.

Another notable figure with the Rowley surname was William Rowley (c. 1585-1642), an English dramatist and playwright who collaborated with several prominent writers of the Jacobean era, including William Shakespeare, John Fletcher, and Thomas Middleton.

In the 18th century, Thomas Rowley (1721-1796) was a renowned English clergyman and antiquarian who is best remembered for his literary forgeries, which he claimed were the works of a 15th-century monk named Thomas Rowley. These forgeries sparked a heated debate in literary circles and earned him both praise and criticism.

The 19th century saw the rise of Sir Joshua Rowley (1804-1859), a British naval officer and explorer who served as the Governor of the Bahamas and the Governor of British Honduras (now Belize). He played a significant role in the establishment of British settlements in the Caribbean and Central America.

Throughout history, the Rowley surname has been associated with various occupations, including farmers, landowners, clergymen, writers, and military personnel, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Rowley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rowley 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. Staffordshire leads with 2,272 Rowleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.77x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 2,272 8.77x
Yorkshire 1,014 1.33x
Middlesex 564 0.73x
Lancashire 511 0.56x
Shropshire 408 6.15x
Warwickshire 406 2.10x
Worcestershire 367 3.66x
Surrey 259 0.69x
Cheshire 218 1.29x
Derbyshire 206 1.71x
Leicestershire 204 2.40x
Nottinghamshire 126 1.22x
Kent 107 0.41x
Somerset 101 0.82x
Bedfordshire 92 2.32x
Hertfordshire 83 1.57x
Gloucestershire 79 0.52x
Northumberland 78 0.68x
Durham 77 0.34x
Essex 58 0.38x
Denbighshire 57 1.97x
Northamptonshire 56 0.78x
Lincolnshire 53 0.43x
Devon 52 0.33x
Lanarkshire 42 0.17x
Midlothian 30 0.29x
Suffolk 30 0.32x
Glamorgan 29 0.22x
Hampshire 29 0.18x
Sussex 29 0.22x
Herefordshire 26 0.83x
Cambridgeshire 22 0.45x
Monmouthshire 19 0.34x
Oxfordshire 18 0.38x
Norfolk 17 0.14x
Flintshire 15 0.73x
Cumberland 14 0.21x
Channel Islands 13 0.57x
Berkshire 10 0.17x
Pembrokeshire 9 0.37x
Ayrshire 6 0.10x
Morayshire 6 0.50x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.11x
Buteshire 5 1.08x
Dorset 5 0.10x
West Lothian 5 0.43x
Cardiganshire 4 0.21x
Isle of Man 4 0.28x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.20x
Royal Navy 3 0.33x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.06x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.11x
Renfrewshire 2 0.03x
Rutland 2 0.35x
Westmorland 2 0.12x
Wigtownshire 2 0.20x
Brecknockshire 1 0.07x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.03x
Cornwall 1 0.01x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.06x
Fife 1 0.02x
Perthshire 1 0.03x
Selkirkshire 1 0.14x
Stirlingshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 330 Rowleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.01x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 330 12.01x
Burslem 191 25.74x
Wolstanton 154 19.57x
Audley 149 58.13x
Wolverhampton 122 6.13x
Birmingham 108 1.67x
Walsall Foreign 88 6.58x
Leeds 86 2.00x
Aston 82 1.54x
Sedgley 80 8.31x
Kingswinford 76 8.08x
Wednesfield 73 19.15x
Islington London 66 0.89x
Greasley 64 27.42x
Leicester St Margaret 62 2.99x
Wellington 62 16.64x
Congleton 58 19.82x
Cannock 55 12.17x
Lambeth 54 0.81x
Wolstanton Knutton 53 33.51x
St Pancras London 52 0.84x
Lower Mitton 50 56.61x
Newington 49 1.73x
Willenhall 49 10.10x
Dudley 45 3.69x
Clerkenwell London 44 2.43x
Ruabon 43 10.79x
Pelsall 41 53.23x
Wednesbury 40 6.18x
West Bromwich 39 2.63x
Wolstanton Chesterton 39 29.46x
Ashton Under Lyne 38 1.91x
Tipton 37 4.66x
Kidderminster Borough 35 5.97x
Shoreditch London 35 1.05x
Liverpool 34 0.61x
Manchester 34 0.83x
Brightside Bierlow 33 2.21x
Camberwell 33 0.67x
Martley 33 114.94x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 32 4.52x
Smallthorne 31 32.24x
St Marylebone London 31 0.76x
Bury 30 2.88x
Oldbury 30 6.08x
Worfield 30 65.19x
Bilston 29 5.78x
Brewood 29 38.83x
Mile End Old Town 29 2.39x
Coventry St Michael 28 4.50x
Langford 28 85.76x
Nottingham St Mary 28 1.05x
Thornhill 28 12.62x
Battersea 26 0.92x
Biddulph 26 17.79x
Dawley 26 10.78x
Hunslet 26 2.19x
Macclesfield 26 3.45x
Claverley 25 55.85x
Ecclesall Bierlow 25 1.62x
Great Driffield 25 16.02x
Hackney London 25 0.58x
Ilkeston 25 7.42x
Newcastle Under Lyme 25 5.45x
Plumstead 25 2.86x
Rowley Regis 25 3.46x
Broxbourne 24 22.89x
Stone 24 7.24x
Eastwood 23 24.87x
Hammersmith London 23 1.22x
Salford 23 0.86x
Woore 23 131.05x
Horbury 22 16.54x
Lichfield St Mary 22 29.45x
Luton 22 3.20x
Barnsley 21 2.68x
Stoke Newington London 21 3.51x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 20 26.60x
Madeley 20 8.23x
North Bierley 20 4.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 529
Sarah 339
Elizabeth 299
Ann 185
Jane 142
Emma 134
Eliza 125
Annie 124
Alice 113
Ellen 103
Hannah 98
Emily 92
Martha 78
Harriet 57
Louisa 57
Margaret 55
Fanny 53
Edith 47
Charlotte 46
Maria 45
Catherine 43
Clara 41
Ada 40
Florence 38
Lucy 30
Kate 28
Anne 26
Harriett 26
Agnes 25
Frances 25
Susan 24
Caroline 22
Esther 19
Gertrude 18
Isabella 18
Lizzie 17
Matilda 16
Rachel 16
Sophia 16
Minnie 15
Elizth. 14
Amy 13
Amelia 12
Phoebe 12
Rose 12
Beatrice 11
Maud 11
Rebecca 11
Susannah 11
Julia 10

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 482
John 436
Thomas 298
James 275
George 268
Joseph 148
Charles 145
Henry 138
Samuel 120
Arthur 94
Richard 74
Edward 72
Alfred 70
Albert 60
Benjamin 60
Robert 59
Frederick 54
Harry 49
Edwin 47
Walter 41
Herbert 34
Frank 29
Wm. 27
Francis 26
David 20
Peter 19
Ernest 18
Thos. 18
Isaac 15
Geo. 14
Daniel 13
Fred 12
Michael 11
Reuben 11
Tom 11
Chas. 10
Jno. 10
Joshua 10
Ralph 10
Aaron 9
Earnest 9
Edmund 9
Elijah 9
Enoch 8
Fredk. 8
Fredrick 8
Mark 8
Stephen 8
Levi 7
Sidney 7

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 Rowley households.

FAQ

Rowley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rowley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,865 people were recorded with the Rowley surname. That placed it at #532 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rowley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 12,653 in 2016. That gives Rowley a modern rank of #508.

What does the Rowley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "Rolf's meadow" in Old English, referring to a person who lived there.

What does the Rowley map show?

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