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Cowan Family History

Cowan Name Meaning

Scottish: reduced form of McCowen.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Gowan, Rowan, Coan, Cohan, Cogan, Cowen, Cowans, Cowin, Gowen, Dolan

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Cowan family from?

You can see how Cowan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cowan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cowan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 536 Cowan families living in Lancashire. This was about 24% of all the recorded Cowan's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Cowan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cowan 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 Cowan 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 Cowan. 10% of Cowan men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Cowan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cowan were Incapacitated and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Cowan | 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
    10%
  • Farmer
    6%
  • Medical Practitioner
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Cowan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 287,000 census records available for the last name Cowan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cowan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cowan

Passenger Lists

There are 44,000 immigration records available for the last name Cowan. 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 Cowan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 46,000 military records available for the last name Cowan. For the veterans among your Cowan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cowan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cowan family history

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What is the average Cowan lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Cowan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Cowan in 1941 was 33, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cowan

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