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Cowden Family History

Cowden Name Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from Cowden in Dalkeith (Midlothian) and any of several other places in Scotland called Cowden. English: habitational name from one or more of the places so named such as Cowden in Mayfield Cowden in Wartling and Cowden Hall in Heathfield (all in Sussex) Cowden (Kent Northumberland and Yorkshire) and Green Cowden in Bakewell (Derbyshire). The surname is more or less restricted to northern England and is also found in northern Ireland where it may be of Scottish origin.

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


Similar surnames: Bowden, Howden, Colden, Crowden, Rowden, Dowden, Ogden, Cowey, Cowie

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Where is the Cowden family from?

You can see how Cowden families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cowden family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cowden families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 36 Cowden families living in Ontario. This was about 65% of all the recorded Cowden's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Cowden families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cowden 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 Cowden ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Student were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Cowden. 63% of Cowden men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Cowden women worked as a Student. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cowden were Laborer and Servant. .

View Census Data for Cowden | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    63%
  • Laborer
    38%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Student
    60%
  • Servant
    40%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Cowden family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 27,000 census records available for the last name Cowden. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cowden census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Cowden

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Cowden. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Cowden immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Cowden. For the veterans among your Cowden ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cowden military records

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What is the average Cowden lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Cowden life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Cowden in 1943 was 52, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cowden

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