BOWLEY
Bowley
Introduction
Bowley is a surname of English origin. It is a locational surname, derived from various places named Bowley in England. The name possibly originates from Old English words meaning "bent grass" or "cow pasture."
Origins
The Bowley surname likely originated from multiple locations in England with the name 'Bowley'. These places could have been named after geographic features or activities that were common in those areas. Over time, families that lived in or near these places adopted Bowley as their surname.
Distribution
The surname Bowley is scattered throughout the United Kingdom, with concentrations in areas where the original place names or branches of the family were predominant.
Notable Individuals
- Jane Bowley (1842-1917): A prominent suffragist and women's rights activist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- David Bowley (b. 1965): A notable economist and author known for his work in economic forecasting models.
- Sarah Bowley (b. 1980): An award-winning actress, best known for her roles in British television dramas.
Trivia
The surname Bowley has been recorded with various spellings over the centuries, including Bolley and Bowlley. This variability is due to the phonetic nature of spelling in historic documents.
References
- Hanks, P., Coates, R. and McClure, P. (2016). The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland. Oxford University Press.
There are approximately 3,213 people named Bowley in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,824th most common surname in Britain. Around 49 in a million people in Britain are named Bowley.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Typical given names associated with the surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Claire
- Emma
- Fiona
- Helen
- Jane
- Janet
- Joanne
- Karen
- Margaret
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Shirley
- Susan
- Valerie
Similar and related surnames
- Bewley
- Boley
- Bolley
- Bolly
- Bollie
- Bole
- Bolli
- Boles
- Bolis
- Bolea
- Boli
- Bowle
- Baalawy
- Bahlay
- Baiely
- Bailay
- Bailey
- Bailiey
- Bailley
- Bailly
- Baily
- Bailye
- Balay
- Baley
- Baliey
- Ballay
- Balley
- Bally
- Ballye
- Baloyi
- Baly
- Baulay
- Bauley
- Bauly
- Bawley
- Baylay
- Bayley
- Bayly
- Bealey
- Beally
- Bealy
- Beauley
- Beauly
- Beayley
- Beeley
- Beely
- Beiley
- Beilly
- Beioley
- Belay
- Beley
- Bellay
- Belley
- Belloy
- Belly
- Bellyou
- Bely
- Belyea
- Beuley
- Bewlay
- Bewly
- Beyley
- Bialey
- Bialy
- Bieley
- Bielly
- Biely
- Biley
- Billey
- Billy
- Bily
- Blay
- Blaya
- Blaye
- Bleay
- Bley
- Bloy
- Bloye
- Bluy
- Bly
- Blye
- Bohli
- Boiley
- Boily
- Boliya
- Bolue
- Boly
- Bolye
- Boole
- Booley
- Booly
- Bouilly
- Boulay
- Boulaye
- Bouley
- Boulley
- Boully
- Bowl
- Bowline
- Bowls
- Bowly
- Boyley
- Builey
- Bulay
- Buley
- Bulley
- Bully
- Buly
- Byley
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.