2000
#53,420
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 363
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.13
Very Rare Last name
Lowey
An English surname derived from a place name meaning "muddy hill."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 429 Americans carry the last name Lowey. That puts it at #58,578 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 798,961 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lowey 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 Lowey with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
429
1 in 798,961
Census rank
#58,578
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
374
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 374 bearers of the surname Lowey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 58578th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lowey, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lowey
The surname Lowey is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Norfolk. It dates back to the 12th century and is derived from the Old English words "hlaw" and "hlaew," which mean "hill" or "mound." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near a prominent hill or raised land.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Lowey can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, a census-like document compiled in 1273. This document mentions a certain "Robertus de Lowy," indicating that the name was already in use during the 13th century.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "de Lowy," "Lowy," and "Lowey," as evidenced by records from the Norfolk area. These variations likely reflect the evolution of the name's spelling over time, as well as regional dialects and scribal variations.
One notable historical figure bearing the Lowey surname was Sir Henry Lowey, a prominent English landowner and military commander who lived during the 15th century. He was known for his service in the Wars of the Roses and his involvement in the Battle of Towton in 1461.
Another individual of note was Richard Lowey, born in 1592 in Norfolk, who was a renowned scholar and author. He wrote several treatises on theology and philosophy, and his works were widely circulated in academic circles during the 17th century.
In the 18th century, the Lowey surname gained prominence with the birth of William Lowey (1720-1798), a successful merchant and philanthropist from London. He was instrumental in establishing several charitable organizations and was known for his generous contributions to various causes.
The 19th century saw the rise of Elizabeth Lowey (1837-1912), an influential writer and advocate for women's rights. Her published works and speeches played a significant role in the early feminist movement in England.
Lastly, John Lowey (1865-1932) was a renowned explorer and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of flora and fauna in the British colonies. His expeditions to remote regions of Africa and Asia led to the discovery of several new plant and animal species.
While the Lowey surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, its origins can be traced back to the English county of Norfolk, where it first emerged as a descriptive surname denoting a connection to a prominent hill or mound.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lowey
Among Census respondents with the surname Lowey, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Lowey 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 Lowey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.4% · 312
- Hispanic or Latino5.1% · 19
- Two or more races4.5% · 17
- Black or African American4.0% · 15
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lowey
Lowey 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
#64,200
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 310
-53 bearers (-14.6%)
Per 100,000 0.11
Rank movement Down 10,780 places
2020
#58,578
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 374
+64 bearers (+20.6%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Up 5,622 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #53,420 | 363 | 0.13 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #64,200 | 310 | 0.11 | -53 bearers (-14.6%) | Down 10,780 places |
| 2020 | #58,578 | 374 | 0.13 | +64 bearers (+20.6%) | Up 5,622 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 Lowey 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 | #64,200 | #58,578 | 8.8% |
| Count | 310 | 374 | 20.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.11 | 0.13 | 13.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lowey bearers went from 310 to 374 (+20.6% change). The surname moved up 5,622 positions in the national ranking, going from #64,200 to #58,578.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Lowey
FAQ
Lowey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lowey?
Name Census estimates that about 429 living Americans carry the surname Lowey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 798,961 residents.
How common is Lowey?
Lowey ranks #58,578 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 374 people with the surname Lowey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (429), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.13 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Lowey.
Has Lowey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lowey went from 310 recorded bearers to 374. That is an increase of 64 (+20.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #64,200 to #58,578.
What does the Census say about the background of Lowey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lowey, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Two or More Races (4.5%). 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 Lowey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.4% (312 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lowey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.4%), Hispanic (5.1%), Two or More Races (4.5%). 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 Lowey (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 Lowey mean?
An English surname derived from a place name meaning "muddy hill." 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 Lowey (0.13 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 Americans have the surname Lowey?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.