NameCensus.

UK surname

Stower

An old English occupational surname for a warehouse keeper or storeman.

In the 1881 census there were 144 people recorded with the Stower surname, ranking it #15,891 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 149, ranked #23,844, down from #15,891 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Fryern Barnet, St Werburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Woodhead and Meikle Earnock, Gloucester and Havering.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stower is 222 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.5%.

1881 census count

144

Ranked #15,891

Modern count

149

2016, ranked #23,844

Peak year

1911

222 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stower had 144 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,891 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016, ranked #23,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 222 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Stower surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stower surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stower 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 97 #17,484
1861 historical 105 #20,298
1881 historical 144 #15,891
1891 historical 172 #16,663
1901 historical 204 #14,925
1911 historical 222 #13,992
1997 modern 196 #17,859
1998 modern 191 #18,624
1999 modern 192 #18,689
2000 modern 192 #18,683
2001 modern 191 #18,453
2002 modern 190 #18,889
2003 modern 184 #19,075
2004 modern 182 #19,306
2005 modern 191 #18,707
2006 modern 187 #19,079
2007 modern 184 #19,485
2008 modern 173 #20,465
2009 modern 179 #20,418
2010 modern 184 #20,521
2011 modern 173 #21,172
2012 modern 160 #22,260
2013 modern 159 #22,706
2014 modern 162 #22,624
2015 modern 161 #22,599
2016 modern 149 #23,844

Geography

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Where Stowers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Fryern Barnet, St Werburgh, Manchester, Box, Ditteridge and Penarth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Woodhead and Meikle Earnock, Gloucester, Havering, Bexley and South Derbyshire. 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 Fryern Barnet Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 St Werburgh Derbyshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Box, Ditteridge Wiltshire
5 Penarth Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Woodhead and Meikle Earnock South Lanarkshire
2 Gloucester 015 Gloucester
3 Havering 016 Havering
4 Bexley 001 Bexley
5 South Derbyshire 003 South Derbyshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stower

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stower

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Stower surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Stower 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Stower is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Stower 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

Stower falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Stower 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 Stower, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Stower

The surname Stower has its origins in the medieval English language, derived from the Old English word "stōwere," meaning "a person who oversees or manages a place." This occupational name was likely first adopted by individuals responsible for the care and maintenance of specific properties, such as manor houses, stables, or granaries.

Stower is believed to have emerged in the early 13th century, with the earliest known recorded instances appearing in various tax rolls and property deeds from that period. One notable mention is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1275, which lists a William le Stowere among the taxpayers.

During the medieval era, the name was primarily concentrated in the counties of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk in eastern England. This region was known for its agricultural wealth, which may have contributed to the prevalence of the surname in those areas, where the role of a "stower" would have been essential for managing estates and overseeing agricultural operations.

By the late 14th century, the surname had also spread to other parts of England, with variations in spelling such as Stowere, Stowre, and Stoure appearing in various records. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Stower, as it predates the widespread adoption of hereditary surnames in England.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Stower was John Stower, born around 1470 in Norfolk, England. He was a prominent landowner and served as a Justice of the Peace in his county. Another notable figure from the 16th century was Richard Stower, born in 1542 in Suffolk, who was a renowned scholar and theologian at the University of Cambridge.

In the 17th century, the name Stower was associated with several individuals of note, including William Stower (1605-1679), a successful merchant and alderman in the City of London, and Robert Stower (1620-1684), a respected clergyman and author who served as the rector of several parishes in Cambridgeshire.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the surname Stower continued to be found primarily in eastern and southern England, with some branches of the family migrating to other parts of the British Isles and even to the American colonies. One notable individual from this period was Samuel Stower (1777-1858), a wealthy landowner and philanthropist in Suffolk, who supported various charitable causes and funded the construction of several churches in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stower families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stower 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. Somerset leads with 35 Stowers recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.48x.

County Total Index
Somerset 35 15.48x
Middlesex 27 1.92x
Surrey 18 2.63x
Wiltshire 12 9.66x
Gloucestershire 9 3.27x
Yorkshire 9 0.65x
Cheshire 8 2.58x
Lincolnshire 6 2.67x
Hampshire 5 1.74x
Suffolk 5 2.92x
Essex 3 1.08x
Dorset 2 2.17x
Lancashire 2 0.12x
Berkshire 1 0.95x
Kent 1 0.21x
Northamptonshire 1 0.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Box in Wiltshire leads with 11 Stowers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1037.74x.

Place Total Index
Box 11 1037.74x
Kensington London 11 14.09x
Rotherhithe 9 51.87x
Brightside Bierlow 7 25.64x
Boston Hall Hills 6 1578.95x
Clifton 5 35.89x
Martock 5 340.14x
Shoreditch London 5 8.21x
Weston Super Mare 5 87.57x
Bathwick 4 160.00x
Chaffcombe 4 4000.00x
Claughton With Grange 4 283.69x
Crowhurst 4 1904.76x
Olveston 4 519.48x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 4 112.04x
St Luke London 4 17.75x
St Marylebone London 4 5.33x
Sudbury All Sts 4 769.23x
Chiselborough 3 1764.71x
Ilminster 3 189.87x
West Ham 3 4.90x
Westonsuper Mare 3 652.17x
Battersea 2 3.87x
Broughton In Salford 2 13.12x
Portsea 2 3.54x
Reigate Foreign 2 26.99x
Southampton St Mary 2 11.05x
Wells St Cuthbert 2 129.87x
Wembdon 2 298.51x
Barking 1 112.36x
Bridgewater 1 16.29x
Broadwinsor 1 166.67x
Cholsey 1 120.48x
Corsham 1 55.25x
East Molesey 1 62.89x
Greenwich 1 4.47x
Hammersmith London 1 2.89x
Horton In Bradford 1 4.60x
Huish Episcopi 1 312.50x
Islington London 1 0.73x
Kettering 1 18.73x
Melcombe Regis 1 26.18x
Southcoates 1 12.94x
St Lawrence Winchester 1 833.33x
Walcot 1 8.31x
Westminster St John 1 5.84x
Winsham 1 243.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 11
Mary 5
Sarah 5
Emma 4
Jane 4
Alice 3
Edith 3
Julia 3
Lucy 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Clara 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Susan 2
Beatrice 1
Charlotte 1
Diana 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth 1
Elizth.Musson 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Jannett 1
Kathleen 1
Laura 1
Leah 1
Lilian 1
Lydia 1
Margaet 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marianne 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Unity 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Stower surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stower surname in 1881?

In 1881, 144 people were recorded with the Stower surname. That placed it at #15,891 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stower surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016. That gives Stower a modern rank of #23,844.

What does the Stower surname mean?

An old English occupational surname for a warehouse keeper or storeman.

What does the Stower map show?

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