NameCensus.

UK surname

Slow

An English surname derived from the Old English word 'slāwan', meaning "sluggish".

In the 1881 census there were 384 people recorded with the Slow surname, ranking it #8,195 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 174, ranked #21,466, down from #8,195 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Abbots Langley and Kettering. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bingham, Magdalene and The Christians, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Slow is 440 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 54.7%.

1881 census count

384

Ranked #8,195

Modern count

174

2016, ranked #21,466

Peak year

1891

440 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Slow had 384 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,195 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016, ranked #21,466.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 440 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Slow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Slow surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Slow 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 339 #6,922
1861 historical 327 #7,788
1881 historical 384 #8,195
1891 historical 440 #8,216
1901 historical 393 #9,606
1911 historical 431 #8,789
1997 modern 197 #17,792
1998 modern 195 #18,397
1999 modern 192 #18,689
2000 modern 195 #18,494
2001 modern 184 #18,907
2002 modern 205 #18,009
2003 modern 191 #18,628
2004 modern 187 #18,993
2005 modern 161 #20,799
2006 modern 161 #20,972
2007 modern 164 #20,973
2008 modern 164 #21,137
2009 modern 168 #21,290
2010 modern 169 #21,652
2011 modern 163 #21,983
2012 modern 167 #21,598
2013 modern 168 #21,914
2014 modern 175 #21,477
2015 modern 170 #21,800
2016 modern 174 #21,466

Geography

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Where Slows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Abbots Langley, Kettering and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bingham, Magdalene and The Christians, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Wiltshire, Castle Point and Stockport. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Abbots Langley Hertfordshire
4 Kettering Northamptonshire
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bingham, Magdalene and The Christians City of Edinburgh
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 016 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 Wiltshire 043 Wiltshire
4 Castle Point 008 Castle Point
5 Stockport 002 Stockport

Forenames

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First names often paired with Slow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Slow

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Slow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Slow household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Slow is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Slow is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Slow falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Slow

The surname Slow is of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'slow', meaning 'sluggish' or 'slow-moving'. It is believed to have originally been a nickname given to someone who was perceived as being slow in their movements or actions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Slow surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Slou'. This suggests that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century.

Over time, the surname evolved and took on various spellings, such as Slowe, Sloe, and Slough, before settling on its modern form of Slow. These variations likely arose from regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

The Slow surname can be traced back to several areas within England, including Essex, Kent, and Suffolk. These regions may have been home to some of the earliest bearers of the name, although it is difficult to pinpoint the exact origin.

One notable figure with the Slow surname was Sir Richard Slow (c.1510-1590), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another individual of note was Robert Slow (1565-1634), an English clergyman and author who published several works on religious subjects.

In the 18th century, John Slow (1712-1784) was a prominent English clockmaker and inventor, known for his contributions to the development of timepieces. His son, Thomas Slow (1748-1819), followed in his footsteps and became a renowned watchmaker in his own right.

Moving into the 19th century, William Slow (1789-1857) was a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was later appointed as a Commissioner of the Port of London.

Throughout history, the Slow surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Slow Mill in Derbyshire and Slow Hill in Warwickshire, further reinforcing its English origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Slow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Slow 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. Middlesex leads with 89 Slows recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.38x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 89 2.38x
Hertfordshire 61 23.63x
Northamptonshire 49 13.91x
Surrey 40 2.19x
Lancashire 29 0.65x
Kent 28 2.19x
Huntingdonshire 22 29.58x
Hampshire 20 2.60x
Essex 11 1.49x
Derbyshire 7 1.19x
Staffordshire 5 0.40x
Somerset 4 0.66x
Yorkshire 4 0.11x
Leicestershire 3 0.72x
Sussex 3 0.48x
Wiltshire 3 0.91x
Lincolnshire 2 0.33x
Bedfordshire 1 0.52x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.44x
Durham 1 0.09x
Lanarkshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Abbots Langley in Hertfordshire leads with 19 Slows recorded in 1881 and an index of 494.79x.

Place Total Index
Abbots Langley 19 494.79x
Bethnal Green London 16 9.83x
Kettering 16 112.28x
Alverstoke 10 35.98x
Chelsea London 10 8.86x
Croston 10 434.78x
Thorpe Malsor 10 5555.56x
Ardwick 9 22.45x
Battersea 9 6.53x
Bovingdon 9 666.67x
St Pancras London 9 2.99x
Bermondsey 8 7.17x
Bromley 8 41.07x
Geddington 8 707.96x
Hemel Hempstead 8 68.79x
South Mimms 8 155.64x
Walkern 8 733.95x
Alconbury Weston 7 1320.75x
Bow London 7 14.68x
Desborough 7 264.15x
Walthamstow 7 26.31x
Compton 6 983.61x
Deptford St Paul 6 6.09x
Fulham London 6 11.05x
Islington London 6 1.65x
Northaw 6 800.00x
Canterbury St Mildred 5 165.02x
Charterhouse London 5 282.49x
Dronfield 5 66.58x
Kimbolton 5 318.47x
Portsea 5 3.32x
Chislehurst 4 58.39x
Hambledon 4 207.25x
Lambeth 4 1.22x
Preston 4 3.36x
Rothwell 4 112.99x
Shoreditch London 4 2.46x
St Albans St Michael 4 138.89x
St Marylebone London 4 2.00x
Weston Super Mare 4 26.28x
Chipping Barnet 3 66.37x
Colne 3 714.29x
Hatfield 3 57.36x
Kensington London 3 1.44x
Leicester St Margaret 3 2.96x
Lichfield St Mary 3 82.19x
Mile End Old Town 3 5.07x
Portsmouth 3 16.97x
St Andrew Holborn 3 23.62x
Wilby 3 576.92x
Wilton 3 128.21x
Yaxley 3 172.41x
Brampton 2 129.03x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 2.83x
Edensor 2 540.54x
Houghton 2 357.14x
Lichfield St Michael 2 50.38x
Margate St John Baptist 2 8.55x
Poplar London 2 2.83x
Putney 2 11.72x
Salford 2 1.53x
South Weald 2 31.60x
Alconbury 1 113.64x
Bexley 1 8.85x
Brandon Byshottles 1 7.16x
Burwash 1 34.13x
Camberwell 1 0.42x
Edgeworth 1 41.84x
Elstead 1 113.64x
Farnborough 1 53.76x
Hastings St Andrew 1 44.25x
Keymer 1 22.42x
Kings Langley 1 53.19x
Livesey 1 12.82x
Luton 1 2.98x
Potter Newton 1 15.27x
Scarborough 1 2.96x
Simpson 1 105.26x
St Martin Lincoln 1 17.99x
West Horsley 1 129.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Sarah 15
Elizabeth 12
Annie 11
Ann 9
Jane 9
Ellen 8
Emma 8
Alice 6
Louisa 5
Charlotte 4
Maria 4
Emily 3
Florence 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Harriett 3
Rebecca 3
Susan 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Kate 2
Lydia 2
Margaret 2
Maud 2
Adelaide 1
Anne 1
Anny 1
Any 1
Cecilia 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emealia 1
Emely 1
Emmeley 1
Fanney 1
Ida 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
J.F. 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lucretia 1
Susie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 26
George 22
Thomas 17
John 16
Charles 15
James 11
Henry 7
Joseph 7
Richard 7
Alfred 6
Arthur 6
Frederick 6
Edward 5
Harry 4
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Fredrick 3
Robert 2
Willie 2
Benjamin 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Eli 1
Fredk. 1
Geo.Jno. 1
Hubert 1
Mark 1
Michael 1
Oliver 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Stanley 1
Walter 1
Willaim 1

FAQ

Slow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Slow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 384 people were recorded with the Slow surname. That placed it at #8,195 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Slow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016. That gives Slow a modern rank of #21,466.

What does the Slow surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English word 'slāwan', meaning "sluggish".

What does the Slow map show?

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