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Rowden Family History

Rowden Surname Meaning

English:: habitational name from Rowden in Winslow (Herefordshire) Rowden in Chippenham (Wiltshire) Rowden Wood in Malmesbury (Wiltshire) or one or more of various places in Devon called Rowden. The Herefordshire placename derives from Old English rūh ‘rough’ + denu ‘valley’ while the other placenames probably derive from Old English rūh + dūn ‘hill’.

Possibly a habitational name from Rawdon (Yorkshire) from Old Norse rauthr ‘red’ + Old English dūn ‘hill’.

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


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Where is the Rowden family from?

You can see how Rowden families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rowden family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rowden families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 168 Rowden families living in Devon. This was about 17% of all the recorded Rowden's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Rowden families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rowden 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 Rowden 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 Rowden. 21% of Rowden men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Rowden women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rowden were Coal Dealer and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Rowden | 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
    21%
  • Incapacitated
    7%
  • Carpenter joiner
    5%
  • Coal Dealer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%

What Rowden family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 28,000 census records available for the last name Rowden. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rowden census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rowden

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Rowden. For the veterans among your Rowden ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rowden military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rowden family history

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What is the average Rowden lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Rowden life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Rowden in 1944 was 45, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rowden

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rowden 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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