UK surname
A surname derived from the occupation of sowing or scattering seeds.
In the 1881 census there were 51 people recorded with the Sower surname, ranking it #26,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 36, ranked #35,648, down from #26,428 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, St Leonard Shoreditch and Tunbridge, Bidborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sower is 101 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 29.4%.
1881 census count
51
Ranked #26,428
Modern count
36
2016, ranked #35,648
Peak year
1891
101 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Sower surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Sower 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 | 39 | #26,319 |
| 1861 | historical | 73 | #24,492 |
| 1881 | historical | 51 | #26,428 |
| 1891 | historical | 101 | #23,870 |
| 1901 | historical | 60 | #27,502 |
| 1911 | historical | 55 | #27,313 |
| 1997 | modern | 35 | #34,174 |
| 1998 | modern | 41 | #33,747 |
| 1999 | modern | 41 | #33,866 |
| 2000 | modern | 36 | #34,317 |
| 2001 | modern | 37 | #34,082 |
| 2002 | modern | 36 | #34,480 |
| 2003 | modern | 39 | #34,296 |
| 2004 | modern | 40 | #34,387 |
| 2005 | modern | 35 | #34,982 |
| 2006 | modern | 35 | #35,191 |
| 2007 | modern | 36 | #35,278 |
| 2008 | modern | 31 | #35,670 |
| 2009 | modern | 33 | #35,671 |
| 2010 | modern | 33 | #35,794 |
| 2011 | modern | 34 | #35,705 |
| 2012 | modern | 35 | #35,645 |
| 2013 | modern | 39 | #35,483 |
| 2014 | modern | 38 | #35,547 |
| 2015 | modern | 36 | #35,654 |
| 2016 | modern | 36 | #35,648 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, St Leonard Shoreditch, Tunbridge, Bidborough, Manchester and Middleton-in-Teesdale. 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 | Wolverhampton | Staffordshire |
| 2 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 3 | Tunbridge, Bidborough | Kent |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | Middleton-in-Teesdale | Durham |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Sower 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 Sower, 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 Sower surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Sower 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, Sower 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 Sower is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Sower, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname "SOWER" is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is an occupational surname derived from the Old English word "sawere," meaning a person who sowed or planted seeds. The name was likely given to those who worked as sowers or planters in the agricultural communities of medieval England.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk from the year 1198, where a person named "William le Sower" was mentioned. The prefix "le" was commonly used in medieval times to denote a person's occupation or place of origin.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Souwer," "Sewere," and "Sauere," reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. These variations were common during that time due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.
The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners in England, listed individuals with the surname "Sower" in counties such as Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. This suggests that the name was well-established in various parts of the country by the late 13th century.
One notable figure bearing the surname "SOWER" was John Sower (1638-1718), a German-born printer and publisher who settled in Germantown, Pennsylvania, in the late 17th century. He established one of the first printing presses in British North America and is considered a pioneer of printing in the American colonies.
Another prominent individual with this surname was Christopher Sower (1693-1758), the son of John Sower. He continued his father's printing business and became known for publishing the first German-language Bible in America, as well as other religious works and pamphlets.
In the 18th century, the surname "SOWER" was documented in various parish records and historical documents in England. For example, the marriage record of John Sower and Elizabeth Whitehead was recorded in the parish of St. Andrew's, Holborn, London, in 1730.
The surname "SOWER" has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Sower Leys in Oxfordshire and Sower Butts in Warwickshire. These place names likely originated from areas where sowers or planters worked or lived.
Other notable individuals with the surname "SOWER" include William Sower (1780-1868), an American clockmaker and inventor from Pennsylvania, and Henry Sower (1829-1914), a German-American author and journalist who wrote extensively about the history and culture of Pennsylvania Germans.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sower 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. Staffordshire leads with 14 Sowers recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.34x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Staffordshire | 14 | 8.34x |
| Lancashire | 13 | 2.20x |
| Northamptonshire | 8 | 17.11x |
| Kent | 4 | 2.36x |
| Middlesex | 4 | 0.80x |
| Surrey | 2 | 0.83x |
| Yorkshire | 2 | 0.41x |
| Durham | 1 | 0.68x |
| Leicestershire | 1 | 1.81x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 1.49x |
| Sussex | 1 | 1.19x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 8 Sowers recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.96x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Blackburn | 8 | 50.96x |
| Peterborough | 8 | 235.99x |
| West Bromwich | 8 | 83.25x |
| Openshaw | 5 | 181.16x |
| Ramsgate | 4 | 144.40x |
| Chelsea London | 3 | 20.03x |
| Sedgley | 3 | 48.15x |
| Lambeth | 2 | 4.61x |
| Wolverhampton | 2 | 15.49x |
| Basford | 1 | 32.36x |
| Bilston | 1 | 30.77x |
| Bishopwearmouth | 1 | 7.87x |
| Duggleby | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Leicester St Margaret | 1 | 7.44x |
| Lewes St John Southover | 1 | 178.57x |
| Southcoates | 1 | 36.50x |
| St Giles In Fields | 1 | 58.48x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Sower 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 Sower 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 Sower households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 12 |
| Butcher | 2 |
| Carpenter | 2 |
| Dressmaker | 2 |
| Iron Moulder | 2 |
| Joiner | 2 |
| Blank Tray Maker Dom Emp | 1 |
| Butchers Wife | 1 |
| Clogger | 1 |
| Dress Maker | 1 |
| Farm Serv Indoor | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| House Keeper | 1 |
| Huckster Shopkeeper | 1 |
| Interest Of Money & Bonds | 1 |
| Kitchenmaid (Dom) | 1 |
| Leather Cutter For Belts (Lea) | 1 |
| Mantle Maker | 1 |
| Ornamental Japanner | 1 |
| Pattern Maker (Hos) | 1 |
| Publican | 1 |
| Socket Screwer | 1 |
| Solicitor | 1 |
| Solicitors Clerk | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 51 people were recorded with the Sower surname. That placed it at #26,428 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 36 in 2016. That gives Sower a modern rank of #35,648.
A surname derived from the occupation of sowing or scattering seeds.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Sower 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.