Cowley Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Cowley Name Meaning: Habitational from any of the various places called 'Cowley'. Old english Cu 'cow' + leah 'woodalnd clearing'.

The name is of enlgish origin.One of the earliest recorded namebearers was 'William Cowley',aged twenty.He embarked from London on the ship bound for virginia.

Discover how your Cowley ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.

Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Cowley Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Cowley family

Profession Census Frequency
Scholar 928
General Labourer 108
Coal Miner 96
Agricultural Labourer 83
Farmer 57
Dress Maker 56
Domestic Servant 55
Labourer 47
Living On Her Own Means 42
General Servant Domestic 32
Living On Own Means 31
Farm Labourer 25
Laundress 25
General Servant 25
House Keeper 20
Carpenter 19
Carter 18
Gardener 18
Clerk 17
General Domestic Servant 16
Grocer 16
Cotton Weaver 15
Fisherman 15
Tailor 14
Errand Boy 14

Cowley Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Cowley 100% 39,991
2 Cawley 83% 12,182
3 Cowly 83% 272

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The surname Cowley is the most popular version of all its varients

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