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Bowma Family History

Bowma Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Bowman, Bouma, Bosma, Boda, Bow, Bora, Bower, Cosma, Bohm, Bodman

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bowma family from?

You can see how Bowma families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bowma family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Bowma families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there was 1 Bowma family living in Gloucestershire. This was about 50% of all the recorded Bowma's in United Kingdom. Gloucestershire and 1 other county had the highest population of Bowma families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bowma 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 Bowma ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Bowma. 50% of Bowma men worked as a Laborer and 34% of Bowma women worked as a Laborer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bowma were Farmer and House Work.

View Census Data for Bowma | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    50%
  • Farmer
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    34%
  • Saleslady
    34%
  • House Work
    34%

What Bowma family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 673 census records available for the last name Bowma. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bowma census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bowma

Passenger Lists

There are 33 immigration records available for the last name Bowma. 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 Bowma immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 65 military records available for the last name Bowma. For the veterans among your Bowma ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bowma military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bowma family history

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What is the average Bowma lifespan?

Average Bowma life expectancy in 1997 was 78 years. This was higher than the general public life expectancy which was 74.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bowma

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bowma 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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