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

Bowell Family History

Bowell Name Meaning

English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Bouelles in Seine-Maritime France so named with Old Norman French boelle ‘enclosure dwelling’.

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


Similar surnames: Boswell, Bonwell, Howell, Bovell, Rowell, Browell, Boxwell, Powell

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 Bowell family from?

You can see how Bowell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bowell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bowell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 37 Bowell families living in Ontario. This was about 34% of all the recorded Bowell's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Bowell families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bowell 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 Bowell ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Student were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Bowell. 59% of Bowell men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Bowell women worked as a Student. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bowell were Labourer and At Home. .

View Census Data for Bowell | 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
    59%
  • Tailor
    18%
  • Farmers Son
    12%
  • Labourer
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Student
    50%
  • At Home
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Bowell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 22,000 census records available for the last name Bowell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bowell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Bowell

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Bowell. 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 Bowell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Bowell. For the veterans among your Bowell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bowell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bowell family history

Discover More

What is the average Bowell lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Bowell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1972, and highest in 1987. The average life expectancy for Bowell in 1953 was 65, and 85 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bowell

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Bowell family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Bowell last name

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