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Bowell Family History

Bowell Surname Meaning

English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Bouelles in Seine-Maritime, France.

So named with Old Norman French boelle ‘enclosure dwelling’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bowell family from?

You can see how Bowell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bowell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bowell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 180 Bowell families living in London. This was about 17% of all the recorded Bowell's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Bowell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bowell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Bowell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Bowell. 16% of Bowell men worked as a General Labourer and 79% of Bowell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bowell were Farm Labourer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Bowell | 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

  • General Labourer
    16%
  • Incapacitated
    10%
  • Milk Roundsman
    8%
  • Farm Labourer
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

What Bowell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 22,000 census records available for the last name Bowell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bowell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bowell

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Bowell. 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 Bowell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Bowell. For the veterans among your Bowell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bowell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bowell family history

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What is the average Bowell lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Bowell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1972, and highest in 1987. The average life expectancy for Bowell in 1953 was 65, and 85 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bowell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bowell ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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