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Cowans Family History

Cowans Surname Meaning

Scottish and English (Northumberland): variant of Cowan with post-medieval excrescent -s.

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 Cowans family from?

You can see how Cowans families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cowans family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cowans families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 172 Cowans families living in Northumberland. This was about 53% of all the recorded Cowans's in United Kingdom. Northumberland had the highest population of Cowans families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cowans 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 Cowans ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Cowans. 34% of Cowans men worked as a Farmer and 70% of Cowans women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cowans were General Labourer and Domestic Service.

View Census Data for Cowans | 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

  • Farmer
    34%
  • Shepherd
    17%
  • Labourer (builders)
    17%
  • General Labourer
    17%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    9%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    3%
  • Domestic Service
    3%

What Cowans family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Cowans

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Cowans military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cowans family history

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What is the average Cowans lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Cowans life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Cowans in 1951 was 64, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cowans

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cowans 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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