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Gowans Family History

Gowans Name Meaning

Irish and Scottish: variant of McGowan ‘son of the smith’ in which the Gaelic patronymic prefix Mac has been replaced by the English patronymic suffix -s.

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


Similar surnames: Cowans, Gowan, Gowins, Owens, Bowens, Omans, Gowens, Gowen, Govan

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 Gowans family from?

You can see how Gowans families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gowans family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gowans families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 76 Gowans families living in Northumberland. This was about 38% of all the recorded Gowans's in United Kingdom. Northumberland had the highest population of Gowans families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gowans 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 Gowans ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Rope Worker (underground) and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Gowans. 20% of Gowans men worked as a Rope Worker (underground) and 88% of Gowans women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gowans were Fitter Chemical Works and Unpaid Household Duties. .

View Census Data for Gowans | 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

  • Rope Worker (underground)
    20%
  • General Labourer
    20%
  • French Polisher
    20%
  • Fitter Chemical Works
    20%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    88%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • House Duties
    3%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Gowans family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Gowans. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gowans census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gowans

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Gowans. 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 Gowans immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Gowans. For the veterans among your Gowans ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gowans military records

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What is the average Gowans lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Gowans life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1967. The average life expectancy for Gowans in 1954 was 51, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gowans

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