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

Lowry, 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 Lowry surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lowry in America

Lowry is the 1428th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lowry surname appeared 24,895 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Lowry.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lowry 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 Lowry

The surname Lowry has its origins in England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "hlaw" meaning a hill or mound, and "ry" referring to a meadow or field. This suggests that the name may have originated from someone who lived near a grassy hill or mound.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "de la Louri". This early spelling variation highlights the connection to a specific place or location.

The Lowry name is also mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This reference further establishes the name's deep historical roots in the country.

In the 14th century, the name was commonly spelled as "Lowry" or "Lowrie", as evidenced by records from Lancashire and Yorkshire. These spellings likely evolved from the Old English pronunciation and spelling variations.

Notable individuals with the Lowry surname include:

1. L.S. Lowry (1887-1976), a renowned English artist known for his urban landscapes and depictions of industrial scenes in the northwest of England.

2. Sir Nathaniel Lowry (1547-1622), an English judge and politician who served as Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas.

3. Robert Lowry (1826-1899), an American Baptist minister and composer who wrote many popular hymns, including "Shall We Gather at the River" and "Nothing but the Blood".

4. Glyndwr Michael Lowry (born 1935), an Irish politician and businessman who served as Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications from 1987 to 1991.

5. John Lowry (1782-1851), an Irish-American military officer who fought in the War of 1812 and later served as a United States Congressman from Pennsylvania.

The surname Lowry has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Lowry Hill in Lancashire and Lowry's Farm in Cheshire, further reinforcing its connection to specific locations and geographic features.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lowry

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

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

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

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