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Bowyer Family History

Bowyer Surname Meaning

English: occupational name for a maker or seller of bows or an archer from Middle English bowyere

an agent derivative of Old English boga ‘bow’. Compare Bowman.

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 Bowyer family from?

You can see how Bowyer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bowyer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bowyer families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 529 Bowyer families living in London. This was about 16% of all the recorded Bowyer's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Bowyer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bowyer 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 Bowyer 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 Bowyer. 9% of Bowyer men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Bowyer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bowyer were Bricklayer and Private Means.

View Census Data for Bowyer | 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
    9%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Gardener
    4%
  • Bricklayer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Bowyer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 85,000 census records available for the last name Bowyer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bowyer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bowyer

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Bowyer. 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 Bowyer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Bowyer. For the veterans among your Bowyer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bowyer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bowyer family history

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What is the average Bowyer lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Bowyer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Bowyer in 1955 was 51, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bowyer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bowyer 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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