CLOW
Clow is a surname that appears throughout the British Isles, with documented occurrences in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Its presence is also well established in several countries of the former British Empire, including the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
The name has a Gaelic origin. According to linguistic evidence the original element is the Gaelic word cluas, meaning “ear”. It is thought that the surname was first applied as a nickname to a person with distinct or prominent ears and later became hereditary.
An alternative derivation is of Anglo‑Saxon origin. In this tradition the surname is taken from the Old English pre‑7th‑century word Cloh, which denotes a ravine or steep valley. The word has given rise to a number of topographical surnames such as Clough, Cluff, Clew, Clue, Clues and Clewes. The earliest surviving spelling recorded in the Worcestershire Subsidy Rolls dates from 1275 and refers to Richard Clowe, an individual living during the reign of King Edward I, who is known as “The Hammer of the Scots”. Other early forms include Roster Clough (1279, Oxfordshire), John del Clogh (1298, Yorkshire) and Richard Cluff (1428, Staffordshire). In Devonshire further variants appear, such as Robert Cloake (1597), Mary Cloak (1685) and Thomas Clooke (1689).
Another hypothesis suggests that the name may be occupational. In Middle English the word cluwe means “manger” or “crib”, and this could point to a progenitor involved in such trades as miller, blacksmith or mason. The name also links to a small village called Clow in Sunderland, first mentioned in records as early as 1248, which may have contributed to its geographic spread.
During the nineteenth century emigration from Scotland and other parts of the British Isles saw the surname Clow disseminate widely. Contemporary estimates place the number of bearers of the name at around ten thousand worldwide. In the United States the surname is most common in New York, but it also appears in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and several other states. In Canada the name is associated with Ontario, British Columbia and the Atlantic provinces. Although comparatively uncommon today, Clow remains found wherever British and Irish diaspora communities have settled.
Variations of the surname are numerous and can be grouped by geographic and linguistic influences. Common spellings include Clough, Cluff, Clew, Clue, Clues, Clewes, Clowes, Clowcroft, Clowes‑Taylor, and others such as Clo, Cloew, Clowce, Cloux, Clowy, Clowther, Cloweslee, Clowry and the German form Klopp.
In summary, the surname Clow shows a rich tapestry of origins that encompass Gaelic nickname, Anglo‑Saxon topographical description and possible occupational roots. Its historical record stretches back more than seven centuries, and its bearers have played a role in a variety of professions and communities across the British Isles and abroad. The name remains a recognised part of the cultural heritage of Scotland, England, Ireland and the wider world.
Typical given names associated with the Clow surname
Male
- Andrew
- Brian
- Christopher
- Daniel
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Christine
- Diane
- Dianne
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Jacqueline
- Jane
- Karen
- Laura
- Margaret
- Patricia
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Clow in...
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There are approximately 1,505 people named Clow in the UK. That makes it roughly the 5,329th most common surname in Britain. Around 23 in a million people in Britain are named Clow.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
