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

Fowler, 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 Fowler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fowler in America

Fowler is the 299th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fowler surname appeared 104,515 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 35 people would have the surname Fowler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fowler 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 Fowler

The surname Fowler has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "fugelere," which means "hunter of wildfowl or birds." The name is occupational in nature, indicating that early bearers of this surname were employed as fowlers, individuals who caught wild birds for food or sport.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Fowler can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This document mentions individuals with the surname Fowler living in various counties, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Fowler was often spelled in various ways, such as Foulere, Fowlere, and Fouler, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling conventions of the time. Some examples of place names associated with the surname include Fowlmere in Cambridgeshire and Fowlshaw in Lancashire, which likely derived their names from individuals with the Fowler surname residing in those areas.

One notable historical figure with the surname Fowler was John Fowler (1537-1579), an English printer and scholar who was involved in the production of the Geneva Bible, one of the most influential English translations of the Bible during the Protestant Reformation.

Another prominent individual was Sir Robert Fowler (1585-1663), an English politician and landowner who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1650. He was also a member of the East India Company and played a significant role in the expansion of British trade and influence in the East.

In the realm of literature, Sarah Fowler (1779-1853) was an English writer and philanthropist who authored several books, including "The Poetical Works of Mrs. Fowler" and "Memoirs of the Life of Miss Caroline E. Smelt."

John Fowler (1826-1864) was an English inventor and engineer who made significant contributions to the development of steam-powered agricultural machinery. He founded the company Fowler's Steam Plough Works, which became a leading manufacturer of steam engines and ploughs in the 19th century.

Henry Hartley Fowler (1830-1911) was a British politician and lawyer who served as the Secretary of State for India from 1894 to 1895. He was also a member of the Liberal Party and played a prominent role in British politics during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fowler

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

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 Fowler 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 Fowler 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 Fowler was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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