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
School 713
Coal Miner Hewer 58
Farmer 54
Private Means 54
General Labourer 51
Labourer 51
Farm Labourer 49
General Servant (domestic) 44
Dressmaker 28
Bricklayer 26
None 26
Domestic Servant 24
At School 24
House Keeper 22
Clerk 21
House Painter 21
Housekeeper 20
Scholar 20
Shop Assistant 20
Coal Miner (hewer) 20
General Servant 19
Dock Labourer 18
Laundress 15
Assisting In The Business 15
Carpenter 15

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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