NameCensus.

UK surname

Towlson

In the 1881 census there were 229 people recorded with the Towlson surname, ranking it #11,784 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 235, ranked #17,530, down from #11,784 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Basford, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Nottingham St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Broxtowe, Winchester and Charnwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Towlson is 316 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.6%.

1881 census count

229

Ranked #11,784

Modern count

235

2016, ranked #17,530

Peak year

1901

316 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Towlson had 229 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,784 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 235 in 2016, ranked #17,530.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 316 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Towlson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Towlson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Towlson 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 155 #12,604
1861 historical 126 #17,569
1881 historical 229 #11,784
1891 historical 310 #10,812
1901 historical 316 #11,242
1911 historical 301 #11,422
1997 modern 267 #14,623
1998 modern 269 #14,941
1999 modern 271 #14,954
2000 modern 264 #15,191
2001 modern 252 #15,452
2002 modern 249 #15,855
2003 modern 244 #15,861
2004 modern 232 #16,539
2005 modern 243 #15,943
2006 modern 242 #16,097
2007 modern 241 #16,341
2008 modern 244 #16,346
2009 modern 255 #16,183
2010 modern 262 #16,252
2011 modern 253 #16,493
2012 modern 250 #16,523
2013 modern 249 #16,825
2014 modern 248 #16,991
2015 modern 238 #17,378
2016 modern 235 #17,530

Geography

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Where Towlsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Basford, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary, Huddersfield and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Broxtowe, Winchester, Charnwood, Conwy and Nottingham. 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 Basford Nottinghamshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
4 Huddersfield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Broxtowe 013 Broxtowe
2 Winchester 013 Winchester
3 Charnwood 019 Charnwood
4 Conwy 009 Conwy
5 Nottingham 004 Nottingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Towlson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Towlson

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Towlson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Towlson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Towlson 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

Towlson is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Towlson falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Towlson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Towlson 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 114 Towlsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.86x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 114 37.86x
Yorkshire 38 1.72x
Derbyshire 23 6.58x
Norfolk 14 4.08x
Lincolnshire 10 2.80x
Suffolk 10 3.68x
Lancashire 8 0.30x
Worcestershire 4 1.37x
Devon 2 0.43x
Rutland 2 12.20x
Kent 1 0.13x
Leicestershire 1 0.40x
Staffordshire 1 0.13x
Wiltshire 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Basford in Nottinghamshire leads with 53 Towlsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 381.84x.

Place Total Index
Basford 53 381.84x
Chilwell 21 2625.00x
Nottingham St Mary 15 19.26x
Huddersfield 12 37.21x
Lound 10 2941.18x
Ripley 9 208.33x
Horton In Bradford 8 23.14x
Swinton In Rotherham 8 136.75x
Beeston 7 202.31x
Kirkdale 7 15.70x
Billinghay 6 545.45x
Heigham 6 32.56x
Norwich St Augustine 6 434.78x
Radford 6 39.22x
Wingfield South 6 638.30x
Brightside Bierlow 5 11.52x
Eastwood 4 148.70x
Long Eaton 4 86.58x
Pentrich 4 203.05x
Spittlegate 4 80.97x
Bramcote 3 526.32x
Kings Norton 3 11.47x
Almondbury 2 18.69x
Barrowden 2 434.78x
Devonport 2 37.45x
Mansfield 2 19.19x
York St Lawrence 2 86.58x
Astley 1 163.93x
Bradford 1 1.87x
Bulwell 1 15.27x
Burton Upon Trent 1 5.67x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.66x
Manchester 1 0.84x
Marlborough St Mary Virgin 1 71.94x
Norwich St Clement 1 25.13x
Norwich St Peter 1 44.44x
Plumstead 1 3.94x
Sibthorpe 1 1000.00x
Snenton 1 8.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Elizabeth 9
Sarah 9
Ann 6
Eliza 5
Hannah 5
Edith 4
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Jane 4
Amelia 3
Emily 3
Harriet 3
Annie 2
Gertrude 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Adah 1
Alice 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Celia 1
Christiana 1
Christiania 1
Clara 1
Elizth. 1
Etty 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Polly 1
Rose 1
Selina 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 17
George 10
William 10
Henry 9
Arthur 8
Joseph 7
Thomas 6
Edward 4
James 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Charles 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Alfred 2
Elijah 2
Herbert 2
Tom 2
Allan 1
Benjamin 1
Benjm. 1
Brown 1
Charle 1
Ernest 1
Evelyn 1
Haley 1
Horace 1
Noah 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Sydney 1
T.William 1
Victor 1

FAQ

Towlson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Towlson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 229 people were recorded with the Towlson surname. That placed it at #11,784 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Towlson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 235 in 2016. That gives Towlson a modern rank of #17,530.

What does the Towlson map show?

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