History of your Surname
Get access to Bownell family records.Start a free trial

Bownell Family History

Bownell Name 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: Bowell, Brownell, Bonnell, Pownell, Cornell, Boswell, Brunell

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Bownell family from?

You can see how Bownell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bownell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bownell families were found in USA in 1880, and Canada in 1911. In 1891 there were 3 Bownell families living in Lancashire. This was about 60% of all the recorded Bownell's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Bownell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bownell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Bownell ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Waitress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Bownell. 42% of Bownell men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Bownell women worked as a Waitress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bownell were Proprietor and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Bownell | 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

  • Farmer
    42%
  • Laborer
    25%
  • Carpenter
    17%
  • Proprietor
    17%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Waitress
    50%
  • Housekeeper
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Bownell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 594 census records available for the last name Bownell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bownell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bownell

Passenger Lists

There are 70 immigration records available for the last name Bownell. 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 Bownell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 47 military records available for the last name Bownell. For the veterans among your Bownell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bownell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bownell family history

Discover More

What is the average Bownell lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Bownell family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Bownell last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial