NameCensus.

UK surname

Rowling

English surname relating to the artisan who made bobbins for thread.

In the 1881 census there were 590 people recorded with the Rowling surname, ranking it #5,919 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 579, ranked #8,957, down from #5,919 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wickhambrook, London parishes and Bingley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Breckland and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rowling is 739 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.9%.

1881 census count

590

Ranked #5,919

Modern count

579

2016, ranked #8,957

Peak year

1911

739 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rowling had 590 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,919 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 579 in 2016, ranked #8,957.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 739 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rowling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rowling surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rowling 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 440 #5,586
1861 historical 466 #5,573
1881 historical 590 #5,919
1891 historical 620 #6,235
1901 historical 625 #6,850
1911 historical 739 #5,802
1997 modern 640 #7,750
1998 modern 666 #7,770
1999 modern 672 #7,748
2000 modern 647 #7,961
2001 modern 623 #8,048
2002 modern 621 #8,244
2003 modern 593 #8,407
2004 modern 611 #8,234
2005 modern 567 #8,608
2006 modern 582 #8,469
2007 modern 595 #8,407
2008 modern 591 #8,512
2009 modern 613 #8,461
2010 modern 631 #8,449
2011 modern 608 #8,597
2012 modern 579 #8,830
2013 modern 596 #8,795
2014 modern 607 #8,721
2015 modern 600 #8,738
2016 modern 579 #8,957

Geography

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Where Rowlings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wickhambrook, London parishes, Bingley, Lambeth and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Breckland and Rotherham. 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 Wickhambrook Suffolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Bingley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 043 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 062 Cornwall
3 Breckland 008 Breckland
4 Breckland 007 Breckland
5 Rotherham 020 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rowling

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rowling

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rowling, 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 Rowling surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rowling 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Rowling is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rowling 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

Rowling falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rowling 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 Rowling, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rowling

The surname Rowling is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, referring to individuals who hailed from a particular place or region.

One theory suggests that the name Rowling is derived from the Old English words "hreol" or "hrēol," meaning "reel" or "roll." This could indicate that the name was initially associated with someone who worked as a reel-maker or a spinner of thread or yarn.

Another possibility is that the name originated from a place name containing the element "row," which could refer to a row of houses or a small settlement. Some early records mention places like Rowley in Yorkshire and Rowley Regis in Staffordshire, both of which could have given rise to the surname Rowling.

Historical records provide some of the earliest mentions of the name. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, includes an entry for a place called "Roluelle" in Hertfordshire, which could be related to the surname's origins.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Rowling dates back to 1273, when a certain Richard de Rouling is mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk. Other early examples include John Rowlyng, recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, and William Rowlyng, who appeared in the Placita de Quo Warranto records of Wiltshire in 1330.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Rowling. One of the earliest was John Rowling (c. 1520-1568), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Peterborough from 1563 until his death. Another was Sir William Rowling (c. 1585-1642), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Andover during the reign of Charles I.

In the 18th century, Thomas Rowling (1712-1789) was a prominent English engraver and cartographer, known for his detailed maps of various counties in England. Another notable figure was Henry Rowling (1755-1835), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

More recently, the most famous individual with the surname Rowling is undoubtedly J.K. Rowling (born 1965), the acclaimed British author best known for the Harry Potter book series, which has captivated readers worldwide and spawned a successful film franchise.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rowling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rowling 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. Yorkshire leads with 137 Rowlings recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.40x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 137 2.40x
Cornwall 73 11.20x
Suffolk 73 10.41x
Middlesex 54 0.94x
Lancashire 45 0.66x
Surrey 40 1.43x
Cambridgeshire 31 8.50x
Norfolk 26 2.94x
Durham 18 1.05x
Kent 18 0.92x
Devon 12 1.00x
Essex 9 0.79x
Worcestershire 7 0.93x
Cumberland 6 1.21x
Glamorgan 6 0.60x
Hampshire 6 0.51x
Northamptonshire 6 1.11x
Wiltshire 4 0.79x
Hertfordshire 3 0.76x
Berkshire 2 0.46x
Gloucestershire 2 0.18x
Huntingdonshire 2 1.75x
Monmouthshire 2 0.48x
Sussex 2 0.21x
Bedfordshire 1 0.34x
Lanarkshire 1 0.05x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 1.46x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x
Warwickshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 22 Rowlings recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.38x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 22 4.38x
Constantine 20 527.70x
Leeds 20 6.21x
Bingley 19 52.31x
Wickhambrook 15 570.34x
Chapel Allerton 14 164.13x
Bradford 13 9.42x
Sithney 13 197.57x
Bassingbourn 12 223.88x
Bootle Cum Linacre 12 22.13x
Horton In Bradford 12 13.47x
St Andrewthe Less 11 26.41x
Hundon 10 571.43x
Kentford 10 2564.10x
Little Thurlow 9 1343.28x
Westminster St John 9 12.84x
Bolton In Bradford 8 218.58x
Crowan 8 155.04x
Eye 8 176.60x
Holy Trinity 8 5.83x
Lakenham 8 63.64x
Poplar London 8 7.36x
Rockland St Mary 8 919.54x
Dudley 7 7.66x
Liverpool 7 1.69x
Southwark St Saviour 7 23.66x
Tottenham 7 7.64x
West Herrington 7 116.67x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 11.67x
Cove 6 387.10x
Falmouth 6 26.02x
Greenwich 6 6.55x
Lamplugh 6 240.96x
Melton 6 217.39x
Plumstead 6 9.17x
Rotsea 6 6666.67x
Shadwell London 6 37.24x
Aberdare 5 7.27x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 3.35x
Barnsley 5 8.50x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 5 25.63x
Brotton 5 67.20x
East Stonehouse 5 21.19x
Great Crosby 5 26.85x
Hunslet 5 5.62x
Lansallos 5 354.61x
Little Wratting 5 943.40x
Peterborough 5 12.76x
Pudsey 5 16.40x
West Ham 5 1.99x
Wiggenhall St German 5 480.77x
Bermondsey 4 2.33x
Castleton 4 5.87x
Ealing 4 7.78x
Helmington Row 4 50.19x
Newton Cap 4 150.38x
Shoreditch London 4 1.60x
St Ive 4 95.69x
St Stephens By Saltash 4 142.35x
Stratton St Margaret 4 51.22x
Woolwich 4 5.51x
Ashley Cum Silverley 3 312.50x
Baildon 3 27.93x
Battersea 3 1.42x
Heigham 3 6.32x
Illogan 3 17.39x
Islington London 3 0.54x
Manningham 3 4.27x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 3.25x
Sneaton 3 652.17x
St George In East 3 7.66x
Stanhope 3 16.97x
Tendring 3 179.64x
Ulverston 3 15.08x
Balsham 2 100.50x
Bramford 2 76.05x
Hornsey 2 2.75x
Royston 2 59.17x
St Marylebone London 2 0.65x
Sudbury St Peter 2 52.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 38
Elizabeth 22
Sarah 18
Ann 15
Eliza 15
Alice 12
Emily 10
Harriet 9
Ellen 7
Emma 7
Jane 7
Martha 7
Hannah 6
Margaret 6
Ada 5
Annie 5
Clara 5
Anne 4
Edith 4
Fanny 4
Florence 4
Louisa 4
Lucy 4
Maria 4
Marion 3
Susan 3
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Elizth. 2
Evelyn 2
Grace 2
Honor 2
Kate 2
Lavinia 2
Lily 2
Mabel 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
Rosina 2
Sophia 2
Agness 1
Caroline 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
F. 1
Flora 1
Jennie 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Zilla 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 39
William 37
George 26
Charles 14
James 14
Joseph 14
Thomas 12
Samuel 11
Henry 9
Richard 8
Albert 7
Alfred 6
Frederick 5
Wm. 5
Arthur 4
Edward 4
Ernest 4
Walter 4
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Stephen 3
David 2
Fred 2
G. 2
Geo. 2
Hugh 2
Jonathan 2
Robert 2
Benjamin 1
Boby 1
Byron 1
Daniel 1
Darcy 1
Frank 1
Fredr. 1
Geo.F. 1
Gilbert 1
Harold 1
Jeremiah 1
Job 1
Joel 1
Johnson 1
Js. 1
Leonard 1
Mark 1
Metcalfe 1
Ottway 1
Percy 1
Ralph 1
Wm.E. 1

FAQ

Rowling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rowling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 590 people were recorded with the Rowling surname. That placed it at #5,919 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rowling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 579 in 2016. That gives Rowling a modern rank of #8,957.

What does the Rowling surname mean?

English surname relating to the artisan who made bobbins for thread.

What does the Rowling map show?

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