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Bovey Family History

Bovey Name Meaning

English:: (Devon): habitational name from either of two places in Devon Bovey Tracey or North Bovey which take their names from the Bovey river on which they stand. perhaps occasionally from the Middle English personal name Bove (from the Old Norse Bófi Bovi Bove a nickname from bófi ‘knave rogue’) or from the Scandinavian name directly.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Tovey, Dover, Dovey, Bovee, Boley, Boden, Coley, Ivey, Boyer, Boxley

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Bovey family from?

You can see how Bovey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bovey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bovey families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 234 Bovey families living in Devon. This was about 58% of all the recorded Bovey's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Bovey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bovey surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Bovey ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Bovey. 40% of Bovey men worked as a Farmer and 82% of Bovey women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bovey were Motor Driver and Shorthand Typist. .

View Census Data for Bovey | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Farmer
    40%
  • General Labourer
    20%
  • Retired
    20%
  • Motor Driver
    20%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Domestic Duties
    4%
  • Old Age Pensioner
    3%
  • Shorthand Typist
    2%
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What Bovey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Bovey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bovey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bovey

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Bovey. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Bovey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Bovey. For the veterans among your Bovey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bovey military records

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What is the average Bovey lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Bovey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Bovey in 1959 was 57, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bovey

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