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Bowditch Family History

Bowditch Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Bowditch in Chardstock (Devon formerly in Dorset).

The placename probably derives from Middle English bove the diche ‘above the ditch’.

(Old English būfan dīce).

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bowditch family from?

You can see how Bowditch families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bowditch family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Bowditch families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 292 Bowditch families living in Dorset. This was about 33% of all the recorded Bowditch's in United Kingdom. Dorset had the highest population of Bowditch families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bowditch 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 Bowditch ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Dairy Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Bowditch. 9% of Bowditch men worked as a Dairy Farmer and 68% of Bowditch women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bowditch were Bricklayer and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Bowditch | 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

  • Dairy Farmer
    9%
  • Gardener
    9%
  • Farmer
    8%
  • Bricklayer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%

What Bowditch family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Bowditch. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bowditch census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bowditch

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Bowditch. 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 Bowditch immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Bowditch military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bowditch family history

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What is the average Bowditch lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Bowditch life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1969, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Bowditch in 1955 was 72, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bowditch

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bowditch 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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