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

Lowrey, 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 Lowrey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lowrey in America

Lowrey is the 6117th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lowrey surname appeared 5,607 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 Lowrey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lowrey 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 Lowrey

The surname Lowrey has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "hlow" meaning "hill" or "mound," and "rig" meaning "ridge." This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived on or near a hill or ridge.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, where it appears as "Laurence de Lourig." This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during that time period, as they were often adapted based on local dialects and pronunciation.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, such as "Lowryg," "Louring," and "Lourynge," in records from counties like Yorkshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire. This indicates that the name was well-established in different regions of England.

The Lowrey name has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One prominent example is Joseph Lowrey (1585-1644), an English composer and organist who served as the organist of Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford. His contributions to sacred music and church anthems were significant during the 17th century.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Lowrey (1623-1699), an English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1681. He played a role in the political climate of the time, particularly during the Restoration period under King Charles II.

In the 18th century, the name gained recognition through individuals like Robert Lowry (1716-1777), a Scottish poet and writer who authored works such as "A New Geographical Grammar" and "A Short Introduction to the Study of Geography." His works contributed to the dissemination of geographical knowledge during the Enlightenment era.

The 19th century saw the emergence of Robert Lowry (1826-1899), an American Baptist minister and composer who wrote numerous hymns, including the famous "Shall We Gather at the River." His contributions to religious music and hymnody left a lasting impact on the Christian tradition.

Throughout its history, the Lowrey surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Lowry Hill in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Lowry City in Missouri, further cementing its connection to geographical features.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lowrey

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

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

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

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