Surname Cowly - Meaning and Origin
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Cowly: What does the surname Cowly mean?
The last name Cowly is of English origin, believed to have been derived from a place-name. It is believed to have originated from a word or a combination of words, “cow-leah”, which describes a field or meadows near a river or marsh, typically where cows were kept. It is believed to have originated from the Anglo-Saxon leah, which means a wood or clearing.
It is thought that the first family bearing this name lived in the area near the river or marsh. Over the centuries, families moved around, taking their names with them which eventually led to the variation of spelling, Cowly.
Variant spellings of Cowly include Cowley, Cowleys, Cawley, Cawlees, and Cowlees and it was particularly common across the southern counties of England.
Today, the Cowly surname is widespread and found around the world, especially in the United Kingdom and United States. It is most common in the English regions of Leicestershire, Lancashire, Shropshire, and Yorkshire.
The Cowly name may refer to a few notable people, such as American writer Alexander Cowley, English actress Laura Cowley, and Matthew Cowley, a New Zealand politician.
Order DNA origin analysisCowly: Where does the name Cowly come from?
The surname Cowly is a fairly rare surname and is most commonly found in the United Kingdom and the United States. In the United Kingdom it is most common in the counties of Lanarkshire, Hampshire, and Derbyshire, while in the United States it is largely concentrated in a few states, including Pennsylvania, Oregon, and California.
In Scotland, the surname Cowly is particularly common in the Lanarkshire region where it was first recorded in the 16th century. According to records, the first occurrence of the Cowly name in Scotland was at the Kilsyth parish in the year 1534 where it is written as "Cowlye".
In England, the surname Cowly is mostly found in Hampshire and Derbyshire, where it first appeared as early as the 14th century. In Derbyshire, a John Cowly is listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1332.
In the United States, Cowly can be found in the states of Pennsylvania, Oregon, and California. In the 1940 census, the prevalence of the last name Cowly in Pennsylvania was the highest among all the states, at 0.015 percent of the population. Across all other states in America, its prevalence rate was much lower, around 0.004 percent.
Overall, Cowly is a fairly rare surname today and is mostly found in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Variations of the surname Cowly
The surname Cowly is derived from the Old English elements "cul" or "cool" meaning "pinnacles" and "lieu" meaning "wood". It was most likely an occupational name for a person living near an area of woodland with a prominent rocky outcrop. There are several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin, including the variants Cowley, Cowle, Coolie, Cowleigh, Cully, Coolaey, Cule, Cole, Colley, Cooley and Coulee.
Cowly is an Anglo-Saxon names which originated in England in the 11th century. It became widespread when the first wave of settlers left England for Ireland, America, Canada and Australia in the 17th and 18th century. It is a common name in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Australia, Canada, and the United States.
The variants of the name Cowly change depending on the region. For example, the surnames Cowleigh and Cully were more common in North Wales, while the surnames Cowley and Coolie were more common in the Midlands. Similarly, the surnames Cole and Cooley were more common in the south, while the surname Coulee was more prevalent in the east and north of the country.
The Cowly surname is a proud name with a long and fascinating history, which is shared by many people around the world.
Famous people with the name Cowly
- Bill Cowley (1912-1944): Canadian ice hockey player who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995.
- Edward Cowley (1875-1839): English sculptor, most famous for his work on The Monument to the Great Fire of London.
- Sir Henry Cowley (1702-1769): English diplomat and politician who served as Secretary of State for the Southern Department.
- Meg Cowley (1957-): English actress, best known for her recurring role in the British television series Robin of Sherwood.
- Michael Cowley (1923-2019): Irish stained glass artist and film director.
- Tom Cowley (1962-): English actor, director and producer. Best known for films such as The History Boys and The Good Shepherd.
- Timothy Cowley (1915-1999): American television director who directed multiple episodes of the classic series Mission: Impossible and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
- Major General Richard Cowley (1914-2008): British Army officer who served as Chief of Staff of the British Armies in Germany from 1971-1973.
- William Cowley (1819-1889): English silk weaver and entrepreneur who established the Cowley Silk Manufacturing Company in 1844.
- John Cowley (1908-1996): Australian painter and art teacher, most famous for his large-scale abstract paintings.