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

Lowell, 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 Lowell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lowell in America

Lowell is the 5302nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lowell surname appeared 6,569 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Lowell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lowell 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 Lowell

The surname Lowell has its origins in England, dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the Old English word "hlo" or "hlaw," meaning a small hill or mound, and "heal," meaning a nook or remote place. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was "de Louuehull" in the Domesday Book of 1086, referring to a place in Worcestershire.

In the 13th century, the name was also found in various forms such as "Louwelle," "Louwell," and "Louwelle." These variations suggest that the name was initially associated with a specific place or settlement, possibly a small hill or elevated area. Over time, it evolved into the more recognizable form of "Lowell."

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Sir Ralph de Lowell, who lived in the 13th century and was a prominent landowner in Lancashire. Another notable figure was John Lowell, born in 1589, who was an English jurist and served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset in the 17th century.

In the United States, the Lowell family made a significant impact, with several prominent individuals bearing the surname. John Lowell (1743-1802) was a prominent lawyer and a delegate to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention in 1779. His son, John Lowell Jr. (1769-1840), was a distinguished jurist and served as a judge on the Massachusetts Supreme Court.

Another notable figure was James Russell Lowell (1819-1891), an American Romantic poet, critic, editor, and diplomat. He was a leading figure in the New England literary renaissance and served as the United States Minister to Spain and the United Kingdom.

The Lowell family also played a significant role in the textile industry, with Francis Cabot Lowell (1775-1817) being credited with establishing the first successful textile mill in the United States, known as the Boston Manufacturing Company. This mill was located in the city of Lowell, Massachusetts, which was named after him.

Throughout history, the surname Lowell has been associated with various places, including Lowell, Massachusetts, Lowell, Indiana, and Lowell, Michigan, all of which were named after members of the Lowell family or inspired by their contributions to various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lowell

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

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

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

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