NameCensus.

UK surname

Scowcroft

A surname derived from a geographic name referring to a valley or dale.

In the 1881 census there were 463 people recorded with the Scowcroft surname, ranking it #7,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 374, ranked #12,490, down from #7,170 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bury, Manchester and Dean. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include High Peak and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Scowcroft is 620 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 19.2%.

1881 census count

463

Ranked #7,170

Modern count

374

2016, ranked #12,490

Peak year

1911

620 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Scowcroft had 463 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,170 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 374 in 2016, ranked #12,490.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 620 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Scowcroft surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Scowcroft surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Scowcroft 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 119 #15,247
1861 historical 344 #7,422
1881 historical 463 #7,170
1891 historical 547 #6,916
1901 historical 610 #6,981
1911 historical 620 #6,668
1997 modern 450 #10,075
1998 modern 457 #10,279
1999 modern 457 #10,342
2000 modern 453 #10,371
2001 modern 460 #10,063
2002 modern 470 #10,094
2003 modern 465 #9,985
2004 modern 455 #10,208
2005 modern 447 #10,266
2006 modern 435 #10,525
2007 modern 419 #10,954
2008 modern 418 #11,083
2009 modern 414 #11,407
2010 modern 416 #11,627
2011 modern 414 #11,533
2012 modern 380 #12,177
2013 modern 387 #12,226
2014 modern 393 #12,168
2015 modern 386 #12,237
2016 modern 374 #12,490

Geography

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Where Scowcrofts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bury, Manchester, Dean, Bolton-le-Moors and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to High Peak and Bolton. 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 Bury Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Dean Lancashire
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 High Peak 002 High Peak
2 High Peak 013 High Peak
3 Bolton 002 Bolton
4 Bolton 001 Bolton
5 Bolton 003 Bolton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Scowcroft

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Scowcroft

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Scowcroft is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Scowcroft is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Scowcroft

The surname Scowcroft originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from a locational name, referring to someone who lived near a cottage or hut in a secluded or sheltered area. The name is composed of two Old English words, "scoua" meaning a small wood or grove, and "croft" meaning a small enclosed field.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landholder named Ailric de Scoulecroft in Nottinghamshire. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various spellings, such as Scolecroft, Sculcroft, and Scowlcroft, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common during that time. The earliest known bearer of the name was John de Sculcroft, who was recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273.

The Scowcroft family appears to have been prominent in the county of Lancashire, particularly in the areas around Manchester and Bolton. In the 16th century, a branch of the family settled in the village of Scowcroft, near Rochdale, which likely took its name from the family.

One notable figure in the history of the Scowcroft name was Sir John Scowcroft (1556-1629), a successful merchant and landowner in Lancashire. He served as High Sheriff of Lancashire in 1608 and was knighted by King James I in 1617.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Thomas Scowcroft (1691-1760), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Provost of Eton College from 1744 until his death.

In the 19th century, James Scowcroft (1819-1899) was a successful industrialist and inventor in the textile industry, known for his innovations in spinning machinery.

More recently, Brent Scowcroft (1925-2020) was a prominent American politician and military officer who served as the National Security Advisor to Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush.

Reverend John Scowcroft (1848-1928) was an influential Anglican clergyman and theologian who served as the Canon of Canterbury Cathedral in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Scowcroft families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Scowcroft 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. Lancashire leads with 436 Scowcrofts recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.17x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 436 8.17x
Surrey 9 0.41x
Derbyshire 5 0.71x
Glamorgan 3 0.38x
Cheshire 2 0.20x
Warwickshire 2 0.18x
Gloucestershire 1 0.11x
Lincolnshire 1 0.14x
Middlesex 1 0.02x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.70x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Bolton in Lancashire leads with 67 Scowcrofts recorded in 1881 and an index of 94.79x.

Place Total Index
Great Bolton 67 94.79x
Little Bolton 41 59.76x
Farnworth 33 103.22x
Bury 28 45.94x
Harwood 25 896.06x
Halliwell 20 102.99x
Manchester 19 7.92x
Tottington Lower End 19 74.92x
Great Lever 14 247.35x
Tonge With Haulgh 14 134.74x
Worsley 14 42.57x
Preston 13 9.11x
Newton 11 26.74x
Turton 11 125.86x
Bradshaw 10 862.07x
Newington 9 5.42x
Oldham 9 5.23x
Haslingden 8 36.20x
Kearsley 8 71.24x
Openshaw 8 32.01x
Westhoughton 8 56.18x
Pilkington 7 34.53x
Salford 7 4.46x
Ardwick 6 12.47x
Elton 6 32.54x
Sharples 6 103.63x
Breightmet 4 170.21x
Derby St Peter 4 17.84x
Hulme 4 3.59x
Llandaff 3 11.52x
Bishops Itchington 2 183.49x
Spotland 2 3.37x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 0.86x
Beswick 1 7.33x
Birtle Cum Bamford 1 28.74x
Blackburn 1 0.70x
Bradford 1 4.00x
Burtonwood 1 51.02x
Cheetham 1 2.51x
Cheltenham 1 1.47x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.18x
Clitheroe 1 6.37x
Dukinfield 1 2.18x
Lytham 1 12.27x
Morton In Bourn 1 68.49x
Moss Side 1 3.56x
Over Darwen 1 2.35x
Pendleton In Salford 1 1.57x
Repton 1 37.59x
St Marylebone London 1 0.42x
Steynton 1 21.65x
Stockport Etchells 1 47.39x
Withnell 1 30.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 43
Sarah 23
Alice 19
Elizabeth 16
Ann 13
Ellen 11
Margaret 11
Eliza 9
Martha 8
Hannah 7
Jane 5
Annie 3
Edith 3
Elizth. 3
Emma 3
Susannah 3
Agnes 2
Betsy 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Elisa 2
Ethel 2
Florence 2
Lucy 2
Agusta 1
Amy 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Betty 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clare 1
Dora 1
Dorothy 1
E.G. 1
Eliz. 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Georgina 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Lucilla 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Nancy 1
Pheba 1
Zebuda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 41
William 28
Thomas 24
James 23
Samuel 10
Walter 8
Joseph 7
George 6
Richard 5
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Herbert 4
Albert 3
Hector 3
Henry 3
Jas. 3
Peter 3
Robert 3
Robt. 3
West 3
Charles 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Jno. 2
Saml. 2
Thos. 2
C. 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Egbert 1
Eli 1
Fredk. 1
Harold 1
Heber 1
Hezekiah 1
Hiram 1
Hy. 1
Jas.E. 1
Jethro 1
Job 1
Lambert 1
Lawrence 1
Mark 1
Noah 1
Richd. 1
Robt.B. 1
Silvester 1
Simeon 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Scowcroft surname: questions and answers

How common was the Scowcroft surname in 1881?

In 1881, 463 people were recorded with the Scowcroft surname. That placed it at #7,170 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Scowcroft surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 374 in 2016. That gives Scowcroft a modern rank of #12,490.

What does the Scowcroft surname mean?

A surname derived from a geographic name referring to a valley or dale.

What does the Scowcroft map show?

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