2000
#14,314
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,920
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.71
Rare Last name
Lowden
A locational surname originating from a place called Lowden or Lowdon in Scotland.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,268 Americans carry the last name Lowden. That puts it at #14,503 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.66 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 151,126 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lowden 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 Lowden with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.3K
1 in 151,126
Census rank
#14,503
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,978 bearers of the surname Lowden in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.66 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14503rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lowden, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.9%. The next largest groups are Black (7.9%) and Hispanic (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lowden
The surname Lowden is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hlāw," meaning a small hill or mound, combined with the suffix "-dun," which refers to a hill or fortified place. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name, possibly referring to someone who lived near or on a small hill or fortified mound.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Louueden." This entry suggests that the name was already in use during the time of the Norman Conquest and the compilation of the renowned survey of land and property in England.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Louweden" and "Lowedon," reflecting the evolution of spelling and pronunciation over time. During this period, the name was also associated with certain place names, such as Lowden in Yorkshire, which may have contributed to the surname's spread and adoption.
Notable individuals bearing the Lowden surname throughout history include Sir Robert Lowden (1519-1588), an English merchant and member of the Company of Merchant Adventurers in London. Another prominent figure was William Lowden (1662-1734), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Principal of Marischal College in Aberdeen.
In the 19th century, John Lowden (1815-1892), a Scottish architect and civil engineer, made significant contributions to the design and construction of several notable buildings in Edinburgh. Additionally, James Lowden (1857-1936), an American politician and businessman, served as the 25th Governor of Illinois from 1917 to 1921.
One of the most recent historical figures with the Lowden surname was Frank Orren Lowden (1861-1943), an American lawyer, businessman, and Republican politician. He served as the 25th Governor of Illinois from 1917 to 1921 and was a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 1920 and 1924.
While the Lowden surname has its roots in England, it has spread and been adopted in various parts of the world, reflecting the migrations and movements of people throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lowden
Among Census respondents with the surname Lowden, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.9%. The next largest groups are Black (7.9%) and Hispanic (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Lowden 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 Lowden surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White80.9% · 1,601
- Black or African American7.9% · 156
- Hispanic or Latino4.3% · 86
- Two or more races3.5% · 69
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.7% · 54
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lowden
Lowden 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
#15,477
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,892
-28 bearers (-1.5%)
Per 100,000 0.64
Rank movement Down 1,163 places
2020
#14,503
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,978
+86 bearers (+4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.66
Rank movement Up 974 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,314 | 1,920 | 0.71 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,477 | 1,892 | 0.64 | -28 bearers (-1.5%) | Down 1,163 places |
| 2020 | #14,503 | 1,978 | 0.66 | +86 bearers (+4.5%) | Up 974 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 Lowden 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 | #15,477 | #14,503 | 6.3% |
| Count | 1,892 | 1,978 | 4.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.64 | 0.66 | 3.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lowden bearers went from 1,892 to 1,978 (+4.5% change). The surname moved up 974 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,477 to #14,503.
FAQ
Lowden surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lowden?
Name Census estimates that about 2,268 living Americans carry the surname Lowden. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 151,126 residents.
How common is Lowden?
Lowden ranks #14,503 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.66 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,978 people with the surname Lowden. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,268), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.66 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.66 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Lowden.
Has Lowden become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lowden went from 1,892 recorded bearers to 1,978. That is an increase of 86 (+4.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #15,477 to #14,503.
What does the Census say about the background of Lowden?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lowden, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.9%. The next largest groups are Black (7.9%) and Hispanic (4.3%). 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 Lowden in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.9% (1,601 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lowden appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (80.9%), Black (7.9%), Hispanic (4.3%). 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 Lowden (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 Lowden mean?
A locational surname originating from a place called Lowden or Lowdon in Scotland. 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 Lowden (0.66 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 are called Lowden?
Find out how common the surname Lowden is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.