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Gowell Family History

Gowell Surname Meaning

English (Gloucestershire): presumably a nickname for an habitual user of the Middle English expression go wel ‘go well’.

(Old English gān ‘go’ + wel ‘well’) or possibly a nickname for a messenger.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Gowell family from?

You can see how Gowell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gowell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gowell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 35 Gowell families living in Gloucestershire. This was about 20% of all the recorded Gowell's in United Kingdom. Gloucestershire had the highest population of Gowell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gowell 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 Gowell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Cowman and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Gowell. 100% of Gowell men worked as a Cowman and 70% of Gowell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Gowell | 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

  • Cowman
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Companion
    7%
  • Housekeeper
    7%
  • Incapacitated
    7%

What Gowell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Gowell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gowell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gowell

Passenger Lists

There are 557 immigration records available for the last name Gowell. 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 Gowell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 805 military records available for the last name Gowell. For the veterans among your Gowell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gowell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gowell family history

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What is the average Gowell lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Gowell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Gowell in 1961 was 50, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gowell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gowell 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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