UK surname
An English surname derived from the occupation of dealing in vowels or vowel-like sounds.
In the 1881 census there were 108 people recorded with the Vowels surname, ranking it #18,888 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 53, ranked #34,727, down from #18,888 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Englishcombe, Tiverton, Bedminster and Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vowels is 124 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 50.9%.
1881 census count
108
Ranked #18,888
Modern count
53
2016, ranked #34,727
Peak year
1891
124 bearers
Map years
2
1881 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Vowels surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Vowels surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 80 | #23,566 |
| 1881 | historical | 108 | #18,888 |
| 1891 | historical | 124 | #20,818 |
| 1901 | historical | 81 | #25,130 |
| 1911 | historical | 84 | #24,442 |
| 1997 | modern | 51 | #32,545 |
| 1998 | modern | 59 | #32,027 |
| 1999 | modern | 60 | #32,078 |
| 2000 | modern | 55 | #32,609 |
| 2001 | modern | 56 | #32,379 |
| 2002 | modern | 58 | #32,564 |
| 2003 | modern | 57 | #32,704 |
| 2004 | modern | 63 | #32,380 |
| 2005 | modern | 62 | #32,708 |
| 2006 | modern | 62 | #33,043 |
| 2007 | modern | 73 | #32,287 |
| 2008 | modern | 73 | #32,555 |
| 2009 | modern | 72 | #33,021 |
| 2010 | modern | 72 | #33,324 |
| 2011 | modern | 64 | #33,917 |
| 2012 | modern | 55 | #34,565 |
| 2013 | modern | 52 | #34,780 |
| 2014 | modern | 52 | #34,803 |
| 2015 | modern | 58 | #34,470 |
| 2016 | modern | 53 | #34,727 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Englishcombe, Tiverton, Bedminster, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Meare. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Englishcombe, Tiverton | Somerset |
| 2 | Bedminster | Somerset |
| 3 | Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff | Gloucestershire |
| 4 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 5 | Meare | Somerset |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Vowels surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Vowels, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Vowels surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Vowels household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Vowels is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Vowels is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Vowels, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname VOWELS is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name that contained the element "vowel," which referred to a small stream or brook. This name may have been initially given to someone who lived near such a waterway.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname VOWELS can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1230, which mention a Robert de la Vowele. This suggests that the name was in use by the 13th century, likely in the southwestern counties of England.
In the 14th century, records from Somerset list a William atte Vowele in 1327, indicating a variation in the spelling and the use of the preposition "atte" meaning "at the." This reinforces the notion that the name was originally a descriptive one, referring to someone's proximity to a small stream or brook.
The VOWELS surname can also be traced back to the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mention a John de la Vowele. This further supports the idea that the name was present in various parts of England during the medieval period.
One notable individual with the surname VOWELS was Sir William Vowels (1512-1585), a member of the English gentry and a Member of Parliament for Somerset during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another historical figure was John Vowels (1668-1737), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in the city of Bath.
In the 16th century, the surname VOWELS appeared in the parish records of St. Martin's in Birmingham, where a Robert Vowels was listed in 1570. This suggests that the name had spread to various regions of England by that time.
Other examples of individuals with the VOWELS surname include Thomas Vowels (1630-1692), an English Puritan minister and author, and William Vowels (1786-1857), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.
While the surname VOWELS is not as common as some other English surnames, it has a long and interesting history, with roots dating back to the medieval period and a possible connection to the geography and landscape of various regions in England.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vowels surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Somerset leads with 51 Vowels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.36x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Somerset | 51 | 30.36x |
| Middlesex | 24 | 2.30x |
| Gloucestershire | 18 | 8.80x |
| Surrey | 4 | 0.79x |
| Derbyshire | 2 | 1.22x |
| Hampshire | 2 | 0.94x |
| Monmouthshire | 2 | 2.65x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.28x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.08x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.57x |
| Wiltshire | 1 | 1.08x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chewton Mendip in Somerset leads with 14 Vowels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Chewton Mendip | 14 | 5000.00x |
| Meare | 11 | 2200.00x |
| Wrington | 11 | 1964.29x |
| Bethnal Green London | 8 | 17.65x |
| Horfield | 8 | 388.35x |
| St Marylebone London | 8 | 14.36x |
| Poplar London | 5 | 25.39x |
| Croydon | 4 | 14.17x |
| Bristol St Paul In | 3 | 55.05x |
| Bristol St Philip Jacob | 3 | 15.57x |
| Lyncombe Widcombe | 3 | 68.18x |
| Spitalfields London | 3 | 38.22x |
| Taunton St Mary | 3 | 97.40x |
| Aldershot | 2 | 27.89x |
| Bristol St James St Paul | 2 | 29.33x |
| Derby All Sts | 2 | 147.06x |
| Huntspill | 2 | 289.86x |
| Bedwellty | 1 | 7.51x |
| Breane | 1 | 2000.00x |
| Bristol St Peter | 1 | 136.99x |
| Bristol Temple | 1 | 74.07x |
| Christchurch | 1 | 42.92x |
| Clevedon | 1 | 57.14x |
| Corsham | 1 | 74.07x |
| Dundry | 1 | 500.00x |
| Everton | 1 | 2.53x |
| Farmborough | 1 | 333.33x |
| Hastings St Leonards | 1 | 38.61x |
| Margate St John Baptist | 1 | 15.34x |
| Queen Camel | 1 | 500.00x |
| Wedmore | 1 | 91.74x |
| Winscombe | 1 | 222.22x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Vowels surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Vowels surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Vowels households.
FAQ
In 1881, 108 people were recorded with the Vowels surname. That placed it at #18,888 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 53 in 2016. That gives Vowels a modern rank of #34,727.
An English surname derived from the occupation of dealing in vowels or vowel-like sounds.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Vowels bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.