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Fow Family History

Fow Surname Meaning

From Middle English fogh fou fow ‘spotted variegated multicoloured streaked’ (Old English fāh), perhaps in reference to skin or hair or to clothing. The word was also used in Middle English to denote a kind of parti-coloured fur.

Some post-medieval bearers cited below may alternatively belong at (2). From Middle English fo foo ‘hostile’ (Old English fā) or ‘enemy’ (Old English gefā), in the latter sense perhaps given to someone who played the Devil in a folk play or pageant.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Fow family from?

You can see how Fow families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fow family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Fow families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 21 Fow families living in London. This was about 26% of all the recorded Fow's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Fow families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fow 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 Fow ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Fow. 64% of Fow women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Fow | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    64%
  • Incapacitated
    19%
  • Domestic Help
    19%

What Fow family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Fow. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fow census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Fow

Passenger Lists

There are 816 immigration records available for the last name Fow. 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 Fow immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Fow. For the veterans among your Fow ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Fow military records

You've only scratched the surface of Fow family history

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What is the average Fow lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Fow life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1969, and highest in 1987. The average life expectancy for Fow in 1956 was 48, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Fow

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Fow 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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