NameCensus.

UK surname

Sowton

In the 1881 census there were 86 people recorded with the Sowton surname, ranking it #21,449 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 111, ranked #29,049, down from #21,449 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Beer Ferris, London parishes and Nottingham St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Exeter, Horsham and Tendring.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sowton is 138 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.1%.

1881 census count

86

Ranked #21,449

Modern count

111

2016, ranked #29,049

Peak year

1891

138 bearers

Map years

5

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sowton had 86 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,449 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016, ranked #29,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 138 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sowton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sowton surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sowton 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 94 #17,837
1861 historical 125 #17,678
1881 historical 86 #21,449
1891 historical 138 #19,411
1901 historical 79 #25,363
1911 historical 89 #23,922
1997 modern 94 #27,781
1998 modern 101 #27,479
1999 modern 109 #26,439
2000 modern 107 #26,700
2001 modern 101 #27,252
2002 modern 103 #27,443
2003 modern 98 #28,046
2004 modern 102 #27,637
2005 modern 111 #26,260
2006 modern 112 #26,415
2007 modern 101 #28,505
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 109 #28,145
2010 modern 119 #27,250
2011 modern 115 #27,634
2012 modern 118 #27,250
2013 modern 118 #27,686
2014 modern 125 #26,896
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 111 #29,049

Geography

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Where Sowtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Beer Ferris, London parishes, Nottingham St Mary, St Marylebone and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Exeter, Horsham, Tendring, Stratford-on-Avon and Winchester. 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 Beer Ferris Devon
2 London parishes London 3
3 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Exeter 011 Exeter
2 Horsham 016 Horsham
3 Tendring 017 Tendring
4 Stratford-on-Avon 001 Stratford-on-Avon
5 Winchester 004 Winchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sowton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sowton

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Sowton is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sowton is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Sowton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sowton 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. Devon leads with 37 Sowtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.19x.

County Total Index
Devon 37 21.19x
Cornwall 13 13.69x
Middlesex 13 1.55x
Sussex 12 8.49x
Surrey 6 1.47x
Hampshire 3 1.75x
Staffordshire 2 0.71x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Calstock in Cornwall leads with 11 Sowtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 591.40x.

Place Total Index
Calstock 11 591.40x
Wolborough 10 452.49x
Werrington 8 4210.53x
St George Hanover 6 54.79x
Chertsey 5 189.39x
Plympton St Mary 5 495.05x
Rotherfield 5 400.00x
St Marylebone London 5 11.17x
Chichester All Sts 4 4444.44x
Pennycross 4 2666.67x
Brighton 3 10.52x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 22.30x
Chelsea London 2 7.91x
Fareham 2 96.62x
Highweek 2 322.58x
Ipplepen 2 833.33x
Whittington 2 344.83x
Buckland Monachorum 1 270.27x
Croydon 1 4.41x
Cullompton 1 131.58x
Lifton 1 238.10x
South Petherwin 1 416.67x
Southampton All Sts 1 33.90x
St Mary Magdalene 1 142.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Jane 6
Annie 3
Beatrice 2
Katherine 2
Margaret 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Bessie 1
Blanch 1
Blanche 1
Celestine 1
Cellia 1
Charlotte 1
Eleanor 1
Elizabet 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Eva 1
Florance 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Harriette 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Margret 1
Mariah 1
Rosa 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
Charles 6
Richard 3
George 2
Henry 2
William 2
Albert 1
Archard 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.John 1
James 1
Jonathan 1
Joseph 1
Matthias 1
Stanley 1
Wm.Chas. 1

FAQ

Sowton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sowton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 86 people were recorded with the Sowton surname. That placed it at #21,449 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sowton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016. That gives Sowton a modern rank of #29,049.

What does the Sowton map show?

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