2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Cower
A surname potentially derived from an occupational description for a tanner or dyer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Cower. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cower surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Cower with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Cower in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cower, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cower
The surname Cower originates from England, with its roots tracing back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "cuer," meaning "trembler" or "one who cowers." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname for someone with a timid or fearful demeanor.
The earliest recorded instance of the Cower surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This document mentions a landowner named Ralph Cower residing in the county of Sussex.
During the Middle Ages, the surname Cower was predominantly found in the southern regions of England, particularly in the counties of Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. It is possible that the name may have originated from a place name or topographical feature, as was common with many English surnames during that era.
One notable historical figure bearing the Cower surname was Sir John Cower (c. 1325 - 1408), a prominent English writer and poet. His most famous work, the "Confessio Amantis," is a lengthy poem exploring the themes of courtly love and moral philosophy. Sir John Cower is considered one of the principal poets of the late Middle Ages in England.
Another individual of note was Thomas Cower (1592 - 1663), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Christ's College, Cambridge. He played a significant role in the university's affairs during the tumultuous period of the English Civil War.
In the 18th century, the name Cower gained recognition through the work of William Cower (1756 - 1834), a renowned English painter and illustrator. His intricate etchings and engravings, depicting scenes from literature and history, were highly admired by his contemporaries.
The surname Cower also has ties to the early settlement of North America. One such individual was John Cower (c. 1620 - 1691), an English Puritan who emigrated to Massachusetts in the 1640s. He became a prominent figure in the town of Roxbury, serving as a deacon and landowner.
In the 19th century, the Cower family made their mark in the field of engineering and architecture. Robert Cower (1818 - 1892) was a renowned civil engineer responsible for designing several notable bridges and railway lines in England during the Industrial Revolution.
Throughout its history, the surname Cower has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including writers, academics, artists, and professionals. While its origins may stem from a descriptive nickname, the name has endured and evolved, leaving an indelible mark across multiple centuries and regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cower
Among Census respondents with the surname Cower, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Cower bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Cower surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.7% · 94
- Black or African American7.5% · 8
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cower
Cower appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+3 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,624 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 807 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 6,624 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Down 807 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Cower surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #151,532 | #152,339 | -0.5% |
| Count | 108 | 106 | -1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cower bearers went from 108 to 106 (-1.9% change). The surname moved down 807 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #152,339.
FAQ
Cower surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cower?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Cower. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Cower?
Cower ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 106 people with the surname Cower. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Cower.
Has Cower become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cower went from 108 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #151,532 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Cower?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cower, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Cower in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.7% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cower appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.7%), Black (7.5%), Two or More Races (2.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Cower (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Cower mean?
A surname potentially derived from an occupational description for a tanner or dyer. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Cower (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Cower?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.