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Tower Family History

Tower Surname Meaning

English: topographic name for someone who lived near a tower, usually a defensive fortification or watchtower, from Middle English, Old French tūr (from Latin turris).

English: occupational name for someone who dressed white leather cured with alum rather than tanned with bark, from an agent derivative of Middle English taw(en) (Old English tawian ‘to prepare, make ready’).

Americanized form of German Tauer.

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


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Where is the Tower family from?

You can see how Tower families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tower family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Tower families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 124 Tower families living in London. This was about 29% of all the recorded Tower's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Tower families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tower 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 Tower ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Tower. 34% of Tower men worked as a Builders Labourer and 68% of Tower women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Tower were Transport Driver Heavy and Household Duties (unpaid).

View Census Data for Tower | 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

  • Builders Labourer
    34%
  • Carpenter
    34%
  • Transport Driver Heavy
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Private Means
    11%
  • Housewife
    7%
  • Household Duties (unpaid)
    3%

What Tower family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 46,000 census records available for the last name Tower. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tower census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tower

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Tower. 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 Tower immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Tower. For the veterans among your Tower ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tower military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tower family history

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What is the average Tower lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Tower life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Tower in 1941 was 33, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tower

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Tower 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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