2000
#2,278
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,622
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.42
Uncommon Last name
Dow
Scottish and English: from the Gaelic surname Dhuibh, meaning "dark" or "black," likely referring to hair color or complexion.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 18,223 Americans carry the last name Dow. That puts it at #2,232 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 18,809 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dow 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 Dow with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
18K
1 in 18,809
Census rank
#2,232
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
16K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 15,891 bearers of the surname Dow in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2232nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dow, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are Black (10.7%) and Hispanic (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dow
The surname DOW has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "dun," which means a hill or a mound. This suggests that the original bearers of the name may have lived near or on a hill or elevated area.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners and properties in England, there are several references to places with names that could be the source of the surname DOW. For example, the village of Dowsby in Lincolnshire and the town of Dowton in Wiltshire are both mentioned, indicating the possible origins of the name.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname DOW was John Dow, who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273. Another early reference is to William de Dowe, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname DOW. One such person was Gerard Dow (1613-1675), a renowned Dutch Golden Age painter known for his meticulous attention to detail and his mastery of depicting light and textures.
Another notable figure was Neal Dow (1804-1897), an American prohibitionist and politician from Maine. He campaigned tirelessly for the passage of laws prohibiting the sale and consumption of alcohol, and his efforts led to the adoption of the Maine Law in 1851, one of the earliest pieces of temperance legislation in the United States.
In Scotland, the surname DOW has been associated with the Clan Forbes, as it was a common sept (branch) name of the clan. One notable bearer of the name was John Dow (1586-1637), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Principal of Marischal College in Aberdeen.
Across the Atlantic, in the early days of the American colonies, the surname DOW can be found in records from the 17th century. One such individual was Henry Dow (1636-1707), an early settler in Hampton, New Hampshire, who served as a town selectman and was involved in local governance.
Finally, in the realm of sports, one cannot overlook the legacy of Courtney Dow (1971-), a Canadian Olympic athlete who competed in rowing. She won a gold medal in the women's double sculls event at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
These are just a few examples of the numerous individuals throughout history who have borne the surname DOW, a name with deep roots and a rich heritage spanning multiple countries and centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dow
Among Census respondents with the surname Dow, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are Black (10.7%) and Hispanic (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Dow 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 Dow surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.2% · 12,431
- Black or African American10.7% · 1,694
- Hispanic or Latino4.9% · 784
- Two or more races3.6% · 571
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 294
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 117
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dow
Dow 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
#2,356
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,472
+850 bearers (+5.8%)
Per 100,000 5.25
Rank movement Down 78 places
2020
#2,232
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,891
+419 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 5.32
Rank movement Up 124 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,278 | 14,622 | 5.42 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,356 | 15,472 | 5.25 | +850 bearers (+5.8%) | Down 78 places |
| 2020 | #2,232 | 15,891 | 5.32 | +419 bearers (+2.7%) | Up 124 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 Dow 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 | #2,356 | #2,232 | 5.3% |
| Count | 15,472 | 15,891 | 2.7% |
| Per 100K | 5.25 | 5.32 | 1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dow bearers went from 15,472 to 15,891 (+2.7% change). The surname moved up 124 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,356 to #2,232.
FAQ
Dow surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dow?
Name Census estimates that about 18,223 living Americans carry the surname Dow. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 18,809 residents.
How common is Dow?
Dow ranks #2,232 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 5.32 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 15,891 people with the surname Dow. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (18,223), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 5.32 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 5.32 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Dow.
Has Dow become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dow went from 15,472 recorded bearers to 15,891. That is an increase of 419 (+2.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #2,356 to #2,232.
What does the Census say about the background of Dow?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dow, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are Black (10.7%) and Hispanic (4.9%). 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 Dow in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.2% (12,431 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dow appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (78.2%), Black (10.7%), Hispanic (4.9%). 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 Dow (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 Dow mean?
Scottish and English: from the Gaelic surname Dhuibh, meaning "dark" or "black," likely referring to hair color or complexion. 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 Dow (5.32 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 have the surname Dow?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.