Find out how popular the last name Dowen is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Dowen.

Dowen, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Dowen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dowen in America

Dowen is the 50851st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dowen surname appeared 410 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Dowen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dowen to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Dowen

The surname Dowen has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "dun" and "wynn", meaning "hill" and "meadow" respectively. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with someone who lived near a grassy hill or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1198, where a certain Radulfus de Dunewyn is mentioned. This spelling variation provides an insight into the name's evolution over time.

During the 13th century, the Dowen name appeared in various historical documents across different counties in England. For example, in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, there is a reference to a Robert de Dounewyn. This record highlights the name's connection to the village of Downham, which was once known as Dounewyn.

In the 14th century, the name took on a more recognizable form, as evidenced by the mention of a John Dowen in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1348. This suggests that the spelling had become more standardized by this time.

One notable bearer of the Dowen surname was Sir John Dowen, a prominent English lawyer and judge who lived from 1480 to 1541. He served as a Justice of the Court of Common Pleas and played a significant role in the legal system during the reign of Henry VIII.

Another historical figure with the Dowen name was Thomas Dowen, an English clergyman born in 1572. He served as the Rector of Upwell in Norfolk and was known for his religious writings and sermons.

In the 17th century, the Dowen family had established themselves in various parts of England, including Lancashire and Yorkshire. One notable member of the family was William Dowen, born in 1620, who was a successful merchant and landowner in the city of York.

The 18th century saw the Dowen name spread further across England, with families settling in counties such as Hertfordshire and Lincolnshire. One notable individual from this period was Edward Dowen, born in 1735, who was a prominent architect and designed several churches and public buildings in London.

As the centuries progressed, the Dowen surname continued to be represented in various walks of life, including academia, the arts, and politics. Notable figures with this surname include the historian Edward Dowen (1822-1876), who wrote extensively on the history of India, and the artist George Dowen (1845-1918), known for his landscape paintings.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dowen

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Dowen.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Dowen was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Dowen has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Dowen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Dowen, please contact us.

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