Surname Vowles - Meaning and Origin
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Vowles: What does the surname Vowles mean?
The surname Vowles is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to be a topographical name for someone who lived near a chapel or meeting place, deriving from the Old English pre-7th Century "fugol-hus" meaning "bird-house" or "fowl-house". However, this was a term applied to a tabernacle or a shrine. This indicates that the name may have been given to a dweller by a chapel or a hermitage where the early Christians worshipped. The surname first appears on record in the early 13th century in England. Like many surnames, over the centuries, the spelling of the name has altered and changed resulting in various forms including Fowles, Fowle, Vowle, and Vowles.
Order DNA origin analysisVowles: Where does the name Vowles come from?
The surname Vowles has its origins in the English language. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word ‘fugol,’ meaning ‘bird.’ Today, the surname is primarily common in the United Kingdom. According to the Surname Database, Vowles is the 12,902nd most common surname in the UK. It is most common in England, where it ranks 5,904th, and slightly less frequent in Scotland, where it ranks 9,152nd.
Outside of the UK, Vowles is much less common. It does not appear in the national surname rankings of many European countries. In the United States, the surname is estimated to be shared by approximately 4,000 people, making it the 10,376th most common surname in the country.
For individuals looking to further trace their Vowles surname, the International Genealogical Index (IGI) contains more than 200,000 records containing the Vowles surname. Furthermore, the United States Census Bureau’s genealogy website, Ancestry.com, also contains a ‘Vowles’ surname category containing records from the 1800s to 1900s.
Overall, the surname Vowles is most common in its home nation, the UK, with descendants of these original Vowles spread across the world.
Variations of the surname Vowles
The surname Vowles is derived from the Old French surname Vallois, which was in turn derived from the Latin word ‘vallis’ meaning ‘valley’. This surname originated in Normandy from the family name Vallois, and was first recorded there in the 12th century.
Variants of Vowles include Vowel, Voules, Vowels, Vowlesse, Voelles, Voakes, Vowle, Vallois, Voiles, Voils, Voil, Vaule, Vaules, Vaulx, Vaulxs, Vowlls, and Vaul.
Spellings of variations of the surname Vowles vary, and can take the form of Vowell, Vowels, Vowle, Vowolle, Vowile, Vowll, Vaull, Vaulls, Vaulx, Vaulxs, Voules, Voulesse, Voelles, Voakes, Voiles, Voil, and Voils.
Surnames with similar origins to Vowles are Example, Vallery, Vallier, Vallon, Valois, Vaux, Veale, and Volk.
In summary, the surname Vowles has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, all derived from the Latin word ‘vallis’ meaning ‘valley’. Variants and spellings of the surname include Vowell, Vowels, Vowle, Vowolle, Vowile, Vowll, Vaull, Vaulls, Vaulx, Vaulxs, Voules, Voulesse, Voelles, Voakes, Voiles, Voil, and Voils. Surnames with similar origins include Example, Vallery, Vallier, Vallon, Valois, Vaux, Veale, and Volk.
Famous people with the name Vowles
- Stefan Vowles: Bass guitarist for the English rock band, The Wonder Stuff
- Dean Vowles: British Actor who guest-starred in the show, Silent Witness
- David Vowles: Former ASX listed company director of two Australian companies
- John Vowles: Former Australian cricketer
- Alison Vowles: BBC broadcaster, journalist, and presenter
- Chris Vowles: Former Football player who played for the English Football Premier League
- Louise Vowles: Physiotherapist and clinician from Australia
- Steve Vowles: Canadian speed skater and World Cup gold medalist
- Shane Vowles: Former professional rugby player in the United Kingdom
- Emily Vowles: English Comedian