NameCensus.

UK surname

Sowman

In the 1881 census there were 77 people recorded with the Sowman surname, ranking it #22,617 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 133, ranked #25,765, down from #22,617 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Eling, St Pancras and Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hinckley and Bosworth, Maidstone and Stafford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sowman is 174 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 72.7%.

1881 census count

77

Ranked #22,617

Modern count

133

2016, ranked #25,765

Peak year

1999

174 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sowman had 77 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,617 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016, ranked #25,765.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 137 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sowman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sowman surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sowman 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 99 #17,294
1861 historical 104 #20,477
1881 historical 77 #22,617
1891 historical 137 #19,501
1901 historical 107 #21,955
1911 historical 115 #20,951
1997 modern 163 #20,038
1998 modern 172 #19,883
1999 modern 174 #19,870
2000 modern 163 #20,657
2001 modern 151 #21,375
2002 modern 153 #21,609
2003 modern 151 #21,574
2004 modern 151 #21,720
2005 modern 145 #22,253
2006 modern 136 #23,378
2007 modern 129 #24,503
2008 modern 128 #24,901
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 134 #25,263
2011 modern 131 #25,430
2012 modern 121 #26,829
2013 modern 128 #26,336
2014 modern 128 #26,490
2015 modern 132 #25,859
2016 modern 133 #25,765

Geography

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Where Sowmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Eling, St Pancras, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a, Polstead and Boxford, Groton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hinckley and Bosworth, Maidstone, Stafford, Earlston Stow and Clovernfords Area and Maldon. 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 Eling Hampshire
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
4 Polstead Suffolk
5 Boxford, Groton Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hinckley and Bosworth 005 Hinckley and Bosworth
2 Maidstone 013 Maidstone
3 Stafford 007 Stafford
4 Earlston Stow and Clovernfords Area Scottish Borders
5 Maldon 001 Maldon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sowman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sowman

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Sowman is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sowman is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sowman 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 Sowman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Sowman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sowman 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. Essex leads with 24 Sowmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.98x.

County Total Index
Essex 24 15.98x
Suffolk 23 24.82x
Middlesex 14 1.84x
Surrey 6 1.62x
Somerset 4 3.27x
Sussex 3 2.34x
Devon 2 1.26x
Lancashire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 11.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Colchester St James in Essex leads with 7 Sowmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1147.54x.

Place Total Index
Colchester St James 7 1147.54x
Polstead 7 3181.82x
West Ham 6 18.10x
Assington 5 2631.58x
Colchester Holy Trinity 4 1212.12x
Enfield 4 80.16x
Great Baddow 4 754.72x
Newton 4 3333.33x
Camberwell 3 6.17x
Colchester St Botolph 3 234.38x
Creech St Michael 3 967.74x
Edwardstone 3 2727.27x
Hackney London 3 7.03x
Hayes 3 384.62x
Beccles 2 134.23x
Hadleigh 2 222.22x
Mile End Old Town 2 16.65x
Brighton 1 3.86x
Broadwater 1 34.01x
Crewkerne 1 76.92x
Fulwood 1 102.04x
Godstone 1 151.52x
Heathfield 1 192.31x
Kensington London 1 2.36x
Merrow 1 666.67x
Newton St Cyres 1 454.55x
Richmond 1 19.27x
Royal Navy 1 12.90x
South Tawton 1 303.03x
St Pancras London 1 1.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 6
Elizabeth 5
Mary 5
Ann 2
Charlotte 2
Eliza 2
Jane 2
Caraline 1
Catharine 1
Edith 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Eva 1
Harriet 1
Kate 1
Lucy 1
Matilda 1
Rosa 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Sowman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sowman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 77 people were recorded with the Sowman surname. That placed it at #22,617 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sowman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016. That gives Sowman a modern rank of #25,765.

What does the Sowman map show?

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