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Low History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Low History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Israel

Etymology of Low

What does the name Low mean?

The origin of the proud surname Low can be traced to the historic kingdom of Bohemia, which is now part of Czechoslovakia. German surnames developed at a time when most of Bohemia, and most of the German provinces, were states of the Holy Roman Empire. At first people used only a single name, but as the population grew and people began to travel, they began to find it necessary to take on an additional name to differentiate themselves. The distinguished surname Low is derived from the Middle High German "lewe," meaning "lion."

Early Origins of the Low family

The surname Low was first found in Bohemia, where the Low family became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Always prominent in social affairs, the family became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the Feudal System and the nation. One of the earliest recorded Bohemian bearers of the name was Hensel Lebel, who lived in Budweis in 1387.

Early History of the Low family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Low research. Another 312 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1225, 1265, 1300, 1460, 1465, 1507, 1522, 1628, 1703, 1706, 1733, 1796, 1799 and 1869 are included under the topic Early Low History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Low Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Loewe, Loewen, Lowen, Lowe, Low, Lower, Löwe, Löw, Leu, Leue, Lau, Laue, Löbe, Lobe, Leb, Lebe and many more.

Early Notables of the Low family

During this early period, notable bearers of the name Low included Leon Loewe von Rozmital (around 1465), whose famous descriptions of the Holy Land through which he traveled were translated into many languages, his daughter became the Queen of Bohemia; Hans Leu, The Elder...
Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Low Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Low World Ranking

In the United States, the name Low is the 3,338^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1 However, in Australia, the name Low is ranked the 589^th most popular surname with an estimated 6,611 people with that name. 2 And in New Zealand, the name Low is the 374^th popular surname with an estimated 1,714 people with that name. 3

Low migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Low Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Pieter Comelissen Low, who arrived in New Netherland(s) in 1620-1664 4
William Low, who landed in Virginia in 1635 4
Peter Low, who landed in Virginia in 1637 4
Robert Low, who landed in Virginia in 1638 4
Andrew Low, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1637 aboard the ship "Hector", bound for New Haven, Connecticut in 1639 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Low Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Sarah Low, who arrived in Virginia in 1701 4
Micajah Low, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 4
Mathew Low, aged 40, who landed in New York in 1719 4
Cconrad Low, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 4
Conrad Low, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Low Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Low, who landed in New York, NY in 1804 4
Philip Low, who landed in America in 1804 4
John Low, who arrived in America in 1808 4
Betsey Low, who landed in Massachusetts in 1813 4
Wesly Low, aged 10, who arrived in America in 1822 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Low migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Low Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Josef Low, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1751
Joseph Low, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1751
Michel Low, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1751
Mr. John Low U.E. who settled in Sophiasburgh and Ameliasburgh [Prince Edward County], Ontario c. 1784 5
Mr. John Low U.E. (b. 1752) born in Banffshire, Scotland who settled in Saint Andrews, New Brunswick c. 1784, then Mascarene, New Brunswick in 1790 he was married twice having 13 children he died in 1844 5

Low Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

James Low, who landed in Esquimalt, British Columbia in 1862

Low migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Low Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. George Low, English convict who was convicted in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Eden" on 27th August 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
Isobel Low "Alias Will", Scottish convict from Perth, who was transported aboard the "Angelina" on April 25, 1844, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 7
Jean Low "alias Doig", Scottish convict from Edinburgh, who was transported aboard the "Angelina" on April 25, 1844, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 7
Mr. William Low, Scottish convict who was convicted in Perth, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 30th June 1845, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 8
Miss Elizabeth Low, Scottish convict who was convicted in Perth, Scotland for 10 years, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 22nd January 1846, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Low migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

William Low, aged 30, a shepherd, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" between 1841 and 1850

Low Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Joseph Low, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1843
Miss Susan Low, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Simlah" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand in 1851 10
Mrs. Jane Low, (b. 1832), aged 27, Scottish settler, from Forfarshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Robert Small" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th January 1860 10
Mr. John Low, (b. 1833), aged 26, Scottish farm labourer, from Forfarshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Robert Small" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th January 1860 10
Miss Elizabeth Low, (b. 1856), aged 3, Scottish settler, from Forfarshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Robert Small" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th January 1860 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Low migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 11

Low Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

John Low, who settled in Barbados in 1663

Contemporary Notables of the name Low (post 1700) +

Juliette Gordon Low (1860-1927), American founder of Girl Scouts of the USA with the help of Sir Robert Baden-Powell, posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Charles Lewis Low (1928-2017), American actor, known for his roles in Once Upon a Time in America, Goodfellas, Sleepers
William M. Low, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Norwalk; Elected 1906 12
Susan E. Low, American politician, Mayor of McHenry, Illinois, 2007 12
William Low, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kentucky, 1932 12
Stephen Low (1927-2010), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to Zambia, 1976-79; Nigeria, 1979-81 12
Seth Low (1850-1916), American Republican politician, Mayor of Brooklyn, New York, 1882-85; President, Columbia University, 1890-1900; Mayor of New York City, New York, 1902-03; Defeated, 1897, 1903 12
Robert M. Low, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for New York State Assembly from Kings County 10th District, 1920, 1921 12
Sam D. W. Low, American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Collector of Customs, 1951; Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1956 12
Robert A. Low, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1964 12
... (Another 53 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th October 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eden
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 27) Angelina voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1844 with 171 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/angelina/1844
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html