Lowney
An English surname originally denoting one from the town of Lymm in Cheshire.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,302 Americans carry the last name Lowney. That puts it at #23,065 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.38 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 263,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lowney surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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.
Bearers in the US
1.3K
1 in 263,252
Census rank
#23,065
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,108 bearers of the surname Lowney in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.38 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 23065th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lowney, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lowney
The surname Lowney is believed to have originated in Ireland, where it was initially spelled as Lughnadha or Lughnaidh. These early forms of the name are derived from the Irish word "lughna," which means "a hero" or "a warrior." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was known for their bravery or strength in battle.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Lowney surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention a man named Lughaidh Ó Lughnadha, who was a member of the Uí Néill dynasty and lived in the 11th century.
As the name spread throughout Ireland, it underwent various spelling variations, including Looney, Lunny, and Loney. These changes were likely influenced by regional dialects and the anglicization of Irish names during the English conquest of Ireland.
In the 16th century, the Lowney surname appeared in records from County Westmeath, where it was associated with the Gaelic family of O'Loney. One notable figure from this lineage was Sir Faithful Fortescue Lowney (1580-1652), an Irish judge and landowner who served as the Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas.
Another notable Lowney was John Lowney (1836-1914), an Irish-born American businessman and philanthropist. He founded the Walter M. Lowney Company, which became one of the largest chocolate manufacturers in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In the literary realm, Fergus Lowney (1910-1990) was an Irish playwright and novelist known for his works that explored the lives and struggles of working-class Irish people. His plays, such as "The Hairy Lemon" and "The Kaffir's Stick," were widely performed in Ireland and abroad.
The Lowney surname can also be found in other parts of the world, likely due to Irish immigration. For example, John Lowney (1795-1867) was an Irish-born American businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of San Francisco in the mid-19th century.
While the Lowney surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread across the globe, with notable individuals bearing the name in various fields, from law and business to literature and politics.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lowney
Among Census respondents with the surname Lowney, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Lowney bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Lowney surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.3%
- Hispanic or Latino4.2%
- Black or African American1.7%
- Two or more races1.3%
- Unknown or suppressed0.5%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Lowney surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #21,651 | #23,065 | -6.5% |
| Count | 1,122 | 1,108 | -1.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.42 | 0.38 | -9.5% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Lowney bearers went from 1,122 to 1,108 (-1.2% change). The surname moved down 1,414 positions in the national ranking, going from #21,651 to #23,065.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Lowney
FAQ
Lowney surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Lowney?
The surname Lowney holds position #23,065 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 1,302 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.38 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Lowney surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lowney, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Black (1.7%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.