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Cowden Family History

Cowden Surname Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from Cowden in Dalkeith (Midlothian) and any of several other places in Scotland called Cowden. English: habitational name from one or more of the places so named such as Cowden in Mayfield, Cowden in Wartling, and Cowden Hall in Heathfield (all in Sussex), Cowden (Kent, Northumberland, and Yorkshire), and Green Cowden in Bakewell (Derbyshire).

The surname is more or less restricted to northern England and is also found in northern Ireland where it may be of Scottish origin.

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


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Where is the Cowden family from?

You can see how Cowden families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cowden family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cowden families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 54 Cowden families living in Lancashire. This was about 48% of all the recorded Cowden's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Cowden families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cowden 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 Cowden ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Cowden. 95% of Cowden women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Cowden | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    95%
  • Housewife
    6%

What Cowden family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 27,000 census records available for the last name Cowden. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cowden census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cowden

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Cowden. For the veterans among your Cowden ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cowden military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cowden family history

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What is the average Cowden lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Cowden life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Cowden in 1943 was 52, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cowden

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cowden 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Cowden family tree

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