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Bowley Family History

Bowley Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of several places called Bowley such as Bowley in Cadbury (Devon), a lost place called Bowley in Hailsham (Sussex), or Bowley in Blakemere (Herefordshire). The first is from Old English boga ‘bow river bend’ + lēah.

The second is from the Old English personal name Buga + lēah ‘woodland clearing’. The third is named with Old English bula ‘bull’ perhaps a byname (see Bull) + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

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


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Where is the Bowley family from?

You can see how Bowley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bowley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bowley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 394 Bowley families living in London. This was about 18% of all the recorded Bowley's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Bowley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bowley 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 Bowley 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 Bowley. 10% of Bowley men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Bowley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bowley were Dairy Farmer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Bowley | 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
    10%
  • Incapacitated
    8%
  • Bricklayer
    5%
  • Dairy Farmer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Bowley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 47,000 census records available for the last name Bowley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bowley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bowley

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Bowley. 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 Bowley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Bowley. For the veterans among your Bowley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bowley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bowley family history

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What is the average Bowley lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Bowley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1976. The average life expectancy for Bowley in 1945 was 58, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bowley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bowley 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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