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Cowgill Family History

Cowgill Name Meaning

English Yorkshire and Lancashire: habitational name from any of the places called Cowgill in Yorkshire; all are named with Old Norse gil ‘narrow valley ravine’ with various first elements including Old English ‘cow’ and Old English col ‘(char)coal’.

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


Similar surnames: Coghill, Gill, Cowell, Cowick, Will, Dowdall, Cougill, Cogbill

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Cowgill family from?

You can see how Cowgill families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cowgill family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cowgill families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 476 Cowgill families living in Yorkshire. This was about 60% of all the recorded Cowgill's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Cowgill families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cowgill surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Cowgill ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Cotton Weaver and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Cowgill. 52% of Cowgill men worked as a Cotton Weaver and 61% of Cowgill women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cowgill were Retired and Incapacitated. .

View Census Data for Cowgill | 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

  • Cotton Weaver
    52%
  • Dairy Farmer
    17%
  • Combing Jobber
    5%
  • Retired
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    61%
  • Cotton Weaver
    13%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
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What Cowgill family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 30,000 census records available for the last name Cowgill. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cowgill census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cowgill

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Cowgill. For the veterans among your Cowgill ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cowgill military records

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What is the average Cowgill lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Cowgill life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Cowgill in 1942 was 26, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cowgill

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