This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Bywater family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Bywater Family History

Bywater Surname Meaning

English: topographic name for someone living by a lake or river from Middle English by ‘by beside’ + water ‘water’. Irish: pseudo-translation (due to confusion with sruth ‘stream’) of Gaelic Ó Srutháin ‘descendant of Sruithán’ a personal name from a diminutive of sruith ‘sage elder’.

Bywater is found as the English form of this Gaelic name in County Cork while in Mayo the usual Anglicization is Ryan.

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bywater family from?

You can see how Bywater families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bywater family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bywater families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 579 Bywater families living in Yorkshire. This was about 36% of all the recorded Bywater's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Bywater families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bywater surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Bywater 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 Bywater. 15% of Bywater men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Bywater women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bywater were Plumber and Private Means.

View Census Data for Bywater | 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
    15%
  • Farmer
    8%
  • Lorry Driver
    5%
  • Plumber
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housekeeper
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Bywater family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 30,000 census records available for the last name Bywater. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bywater census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bywater

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Bywater military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bywater family history

Discover More

What is the average Bywater lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Bywater life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1962, and highest in 1983. The average life expectancy for Bywater in 1962 was 60, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bywater

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bywater 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Bywater family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial