Origins of the Fowler surname

What does the name Fowler mean?

Fower is an English surname. It derives from the Middle English 'Foulere' (bird catcher or gamekeeper). It was given to those who engaged in these occupations, and their lineage, and has been found in documents dating back to around 1200. It is common throughout the country, but is far less prevalent in the South-East of England.

Alternative variations of the name Fowler

Fowler, Fowlar, Fouler, Fowller, Fouller

Start free trial
“
I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1500s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.
SS
Stuart
Trustpilot logoTrustpilot 5 stars
1 of 3

Start your family tree

Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Fowlers.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the Fowler family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 633North West 299Isle of Man 5Yorkshire 1862East Midlands 505West Midlands 518East 620London 3013South East 1485South West 685South Wales 304Mid Wales 56West Wales 2North Wales 10Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Fowlers lived in london

Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

29,000 Fowler Travel & migration records
160,000 Fowlers found in all Census records

Interesting facts about Fowler

How common is your surname?

220th most common surname in the UK

We have for the Fowler surname. The oldest one dates back to 1538.

Who were Fowlers most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Fowlers.

What are the most common Fowler first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Fowler family members
Man with milk churns and census card collage
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Fowlers

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Commmon female occupations for Fowlers in 1921

Dressmaker

742

Laundress

444

Domestic Servant

443

Living On Own Means

373

General Servant Domestic

358

Commmon male occupations for Fowlers in 1921

Agricultural Labourer

732

Farmer

616

General Labourer

574

Coal Miner

477

Carpenter

466

We found over 430,000 family trees with the Fowler surname

Trace your family back in time and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Fowlers.

Search for a relative in our family trees

Learn more about the lives of Fowler family members

How rare is your surname?

Have you ever wondered if your family na...

The rise and fall of these disappearing British surnames

Could your surname be on the brink of di...

English surnames explained: The seven types of last names you should know

Ever wondered where our last names come...

How to find the maiden names of women in your family tree

Try these simple tricks to pinpoint your...

4 simple steps to starting your family history journey

Starting your family history journey is...

Share your discoveries

Share to WhatsApp

Share to Facebook

Look for a different surname

Paper tear line

Find out more about your family in our records

    or try an advanced search