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Sowler Family History

Sowler Surname Meaning

From Middle English soue-halere ‘sow-gelder one who castrates swine’ (Old English sugu sū ‘sow female swine’ + an agent derivative of hǣlan ‘to castrate’).

Compare Hugh le Hoghalere 1341 in Thuresson (Essex) in which the first element is Middle English hog ‘hog’ and Henricus Geldesowe 1332 in Subsidy Rolls (Worcs) in which the first element is from Middle English gelden ‘to castrate’.

Alternatively, if there is no connection between the medieval and post-medieval bearers, possibly a variant of Soller.

Source: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, 2021


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Where is the Sowler family from?

You can see how Sowler families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sowler family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Sowler families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 16 Sowler families living in Durham. This was about 43% of all the recorded Sowler's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Sowler families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sowler 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 Sowler ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer H W and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Sowler. 100% of Sowler men worked as a General Labourer H W and 70% of Sowler women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Sowler | 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 H W
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Wife
    16%
  • Private Means
    16%

What Sowler family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Sowler. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sowler census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sowler

Passenger Lists

There are 304 immigration records available for the last name Sowler. 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 Sowler immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 118 military records available for the last name Sowler. For the veterans among your Sowler ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sowler military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sowler family history

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What is the average Sowler lifespan?

Between 1963 and 1997, in the United States, Sowler life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1963, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Sowler in 1963 was 76, and 94 in 1997.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sowler

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sowler 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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