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Bowness Family History

Bowness Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Bowness in Cumbria.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bowness family from?

You can see how Bowness families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bowness family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bowness families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 168 Bowness families living in Lancashire. This was about 27% of all the recorded Bowness's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Bowness families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bowness 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 Bowness 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 Bowness. 20% of Bowness men worked as a General Labourer and 77% of Bowness women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bowness were Motor Lorry Driver and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Bowness | 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
    20%
  • Farmer
    20%
  • Iron Ore Miner Heavy Worker
    10%
  • Motor Lorry Driver
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%

What Bowness family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Bowness. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bowness census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bowness

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Bowness. 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 Bowness immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 906 military records available for the last name Bowness. For the veterans among your Bowness ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bowness military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bowness family history

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What is the average Bowness lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Bowness life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2004, and highest in 1981. The average life expectancy for Bowness in 1963 was 77, and 64 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bowness

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bowness 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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