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Bowdley Family History

Bowdley Surname Meaning

Perhaps from Bewdley (Worcs) which is recorded as Be(a)ul(i)eu from 1275–1424, Buleye in 1316, Beudeley in 1349, and Bowedeley in 145. The place-name appears to derive from Old French beau lieu ‘fine place’ (compare Bewley)

With the -d- perhaps due to confusion following the anglicization of the name.

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


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Where is the Bowdley family from?

You can see how Bowdley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bowdley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Bowdley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 11 Bowdley families living in Staffordshire. This was about 41% of all the recorded Bowdley's in United Kingdom. Staffordshire had the highest population of Bowdley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bowdley 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 Bowdley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Iron Moulder and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Bowdley. 100% of Bowdley men worked as an Iron Moulder and 78% of Bowdley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Bowdley | 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

  • Iron Moulder
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    78%
  • Gore Blacker Foundry Heavy Worker
    23%

What Bowdley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 229 census records available for the last name Bowdley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bowdley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bowdley

Passenger Lists

There are 11 immigration records available for the last name Bowdley. 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 Bowdley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 20 military records available for the last name Bowdley. For the veterans among your Bowdley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bowdley military records

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What is the average Bowdley lifespan?

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bowdley 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.

Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bowdley

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