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Bowater Family History

Bowater Surname Meaning

perhaps an altered form of Bywater.

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


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 Bowater family from?

You can see how Bowater families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bowater family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Bowater families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 153 Bowater families living in Staffordshire. This was about 39% of all the recorded Bowater's in United Kingdom. Staffordshire had the highest population of Bowater families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bowater 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 Bowater 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 Bowater. 22% of Bowater men worked as a General Labourer and 79% of Bowater women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bowater were Iron Moulder Heavy Worker and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Bowater | 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
    22%
  • Iron Moulder
    13%
  • Iron Moulder Heavy Work
    10%
  • Iron Moulder Heavy Worker
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dut
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What Bowater family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Bowater. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bowater census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bowater

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Bowater. 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 Bowater immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 854 military records available for the last name Bowater. For the veterans among your Bowater ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bowater military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bowater family history

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What is the average Bowater lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2003, in the United States, Bowater life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1962, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Bowater in 1962 was 49, and 98 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bowater

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bowater 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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