NameCensus.

UK surname

Stowell

A locational surname derived from places in Somerset and Gloucestershire, England, referring to someone who lived near a spring or well.

In the 1881 census there were 598 people recorded with the Stowell surname, ranking it #5,850 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 952, ranked #6,034, down from #5,850 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Clifton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Taunton Deane, Burnley and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stowell is 1,015 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.2%.

1881 census count

598

Ranked #5,850

Modern count

952

2016, ranked #6,034

Peak year

2002

1,015 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stowell had 598 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,850 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 952 in 2016, ranked #6,034.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 910 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Stowell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stowell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stowell 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 336 #6,970
1861 historical 352 #7,258
1881 historical 598 #5,850
1891 historical 720 #5,479
1901 historical 807 #5,591
1911 historical 910 #4,905
1997 modern 936 #5,787
1998 modern 1,001 #5,672
1999 modern 985 #5,782
2000 modern 986 #5,760
2001 modern 971 #5,717
2002 modern 1,015 #5,621
2003 modern 970 #5,735
2004 modern 956 #5,817
2005 modern 924 #5,901
2006 modern 920 #5,936
2007 modern 920 #5,992
2008 modern 921 #6,030
2009 modern 961 #5,957
2010 modern 963 #6,058
2011 modern 956 #6,047
2012 modern 936 #6,055
2013 modern 944 #6,111
2014 modern 959 #6,081
2015 modern 966 #5,980
2016 modern 952 #6,034

Geography

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Where Stowells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Clifton and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Taunton Deane, Burnley, St. Helens and North Somerset. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Clifton Gloucestershire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Taunton Deane 009 Taunton Deane
2 Burnley 010 Burnley
3 Burnley 004 Burnley
4 St. Helens 005 St. Helens
5 North Somerset 012 North Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stowell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stowell

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Stowell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Stowell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Stowell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Stowell is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Stowell falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Stowell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Stowell

The surname STOWELL is of English origin and is thought to have derived from the Old English words "stow" meaning "place" and "well" referring to a water source, suggesting it was originally a locational name for someone who lived near a well or spring. It may have been given as a surname to distinguish individuals from the place they inhabited.

The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Stouuuelle" in Lincolnshire and "Stouwelle" in Suffolk. This suggests the name was present in various parts of England by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show a Henry de Stouwell from Gloucestershire in 1273. The "de" prefix indicates the name was used as a locational surname during this period.

The STOWELL surname was also found in Somerset, with John Stowell being recorded in 1327 in the Subsidy Rolls for that county.

One of the earliest notable figures with this surname was Sir John Stowell (c.1347-1427), a member of parliament for Somerset and a knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War. He was born in Cotlestone, Somerset.

Another individual of note was William Stowell (c.1505-1572), an English Protestant reformer and clergyman who served as a chaplain to Edward VI and Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, Rev. William Scott Stowell (1621-1662) was an English minister who served as Rector of Farnham Royal in Buckinghamshire.

During the 18th century, Joseph Stowell (1740-1826) was a renowned English Congregational minister and author from Ipswich, Suffolk.

One of the more famous bearers of the STOWELL name was Lord William Stowell (1785-1858), an English judge and jurist who served as Judge of the High Court of Admiralty.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stowell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stowell 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 128 Stowells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.59x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 128 1.59x
Isle of Man 98 77.62x
Yorkshire 77 1.14x
Middlesex 70 1.03x
Somerset 66 6.03x
Surrey 46 1.39x
Gloucestershire 28 2.10x
Devon 21 1.48x
Essex 17 1.27x
Kent 16 0.69x
Hampshire 15 1.08x
Cheshire 13 0.87x
Dorset 12 2.69x
Durham 12 0.59x
Berkshire 11 2.16x
Sussex 10 0.87x
Buckinghamshire 7 1.70x
Monmouthshire 7 1.42x
Cumberland 6 1.03x
Midlothian 6 0.66x
Warwickshire 5 0.29x
Wiltshire 5 0.83x
Brecknockshire 4 2.94x
Glamorgan 4 0.34x
Leicestershire 4 0.53x
Royal Navy 2 2.47x
Staffordshire 2 0.09x
Derbyshire 1 0.09x
Fife 1 0.25x
Hertfordshire 1 0.21x
Lanarkshire 1 0.05x
Oxfordshire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keighley in Yorkshire leads with 26 Stowells recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.21x.

Place Total Index
Keighley 26 36.21x
Onchan 24 65.99x
Horton In Bradford 21 19.96x
Malew 21 190.39x
Maughold 20 205.34x
Newington 18 7.17x
Salford 15 6.32x
Lezayre 14 247.35x
Habergham Eaves 12 16.27x
Everton 11 4.28x
Pennington In Leigh 11 71.06x
Bowling 10 14.99x
Chew Stoke 10 617.28x
Clifton 10 14.83x
Manchester 10 2.76x
Chatham 9 14.10x
Lonan 9 117.65x
Reading St Giles 9 17.97x
St George Hanover 9 10.14x
Taunton St Mary 9 44.80x
Tooting Graveney 9 97.61x
Ventnor 9 67.92x
Bingley 8 18.64x
Chew Magna 8 208.33x
Hornsey 8 9.30x
Shoreditch London 8 2.71x
Ashton Under Lyne 7 3.97x
Axbridge 7 660.38x
Brighton 7 3.03x
Camberwell 7 1.61x
Hackney London 7 1.84x
Islington London 7 1.06x
Newton 7 11.26x
Paddington London 7 2.80x
Ryton 7 98.45x
Upton Cum Chalvey 7 42.74x
Bridgewater 6 20.20x
East Stonehouse 6 21.52x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 1.64x
Oldham 6 2.30x
Padiham 6 30.79x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 5.50x
Shaftesbury St James 6 257.51x
West Ham 6 2.02x
Woodham Walter 6 491.80x
Bedminster 5 4.86x
Bootle Cum Linacre 5 7.80x
Bradford On Avon 5 25.97x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 3.98x
Bromborough 5 160.26x
Buckland Filleigh 5 1136.36x
Cheetham 5 8.31x
Croydon 5 2.72x
Ealing 5 8.23x
Leeds 5 1.31x
Preston 5 134.41x
Shipham 5 526.32x
St Woollos 5 9.12x
Walthamstow 5 10.35x
Westbury On Trym 5 11.07x
Wetheral 5 64.52x
Barrow In Furness 4 3.65x
Brislington 4 196.08x
Bromley London 4 2.67x
Cardiff St John 4 10.34x
Chelsea London 4 1.95x
Clitheroe 4 16.84x
Cockerton 4 61.63x
German Peel 4 55.02x
Hyde 4 9.03x
Lambeth 4 0.67x
Leicester St Margaret 4 2.18x
Llanelly 4 24.59x
Melcombe Regis 4 21.63x
Walcot 4 6.86x
Worle 4 176.99x
Birmingham 3 0.53x
Bristol St George 3 4.86x
Broughton In Salford 3 4.07x
Norbury 3 85.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 44
Elizabeth 37
Sarah 21
Ann 16
Alice 14
Annie 14
Eliza 13
Ellen 10
Emily 10
Emma 10
Louisa 10
Margaret 10
Jane 8
Catherine 7
Florence 7
Martha 7
Ada 6
Clara 5
Hannah 5
Maria 5
Anne 4
Edith 4
Minnie 4
Susannah 4
Caroline 3
Frances 3
Harriett 3
Lilly 3
Lucy 3
Rose 3
Agnes 2
Alma 2
Blanche 2
Elizth. 2
Eva 2
Georgina 2
Harriet 2
M.A. 2
Rosina 2
Ruth 2
Victoria 2
Amelia 1
Anthony 1
Bellanne 1
Delia 1
Easter 1
Elinor 1
Gertrude 1
Hanah 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 47
John 45
Thomas 20
James 17
Edward 15
Henry 14
Charles 13
Albert 9
Arthur 9
Frederick 9
George 9
Robert 8
Alfred 7
Richard 5
Frank 4
Herbert 4
Thos. 4
Anthony 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Hugh 3
Walter 3
Wm. 3
Alexander 2
Christopher 2
Edwin 2
Flaxney 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Tom 2
Benjamin 1
David 1
Douglas 1
Earnest 1
Elijah 1
Enoch 1
Ever 1
Fredk.S. 1
Jeremiah 1
Jonathan 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Lionel 1
Llewellyn 1
Mitchell 1
Oscar 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Stowell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stowell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 598 people were recorded with the Stowell surname. That placed it at #5,850 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stowell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 952 in 2016. That gives Stowell a modern rank of #6,034.

What does the Stowell surname mean?

A locational surname derived from places in Somerset and Gloucestershire, England, referring to someone who lived near a spring or well.

What does the Stowell map show?

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