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Bownes Family History

Bownes Surname Meaning

English: variant of Bowns (see Boone and Bone) or a variant of Bowness.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bownes family from?

You can see how Bownes families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bownes family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bownes families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 176 Bownes families living in Yorkshire. This was about 40% of all the recorded Bownes's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Bownes families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bownes 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 Bownes 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 Bownes. 34% of Bownes men worked as a General Labourer and 80% of Bownes women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bownes were Foreman H W and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Bownes | 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
    34%
  • Incapacitated
    23%
  • Colliery Hewer (below)
    23%
  • Foreman H W
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%

What Bownes family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Bownes. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bownes census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bownes

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 629 military records available for the last name Bownes. For the veterans among your Bownes ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bownes military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bownes family history

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What is the average Bownes lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2003, in the United States, Bownes life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2000, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Bownes in 1962 was 74, and 71 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bownes

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bownes 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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