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Bowes Family History

Bowes Surname Meaning

English (northern): habitational name from Bowes (formerly in North Yorkshire now in County Durham) or from some other place so called, the placename being derived from the plural of Old English boga ‘bow’, here referring to bends in a river.

Alternatively, a topographic name for someone who lived ‘(at the) arches or bridge’. See Bow.

English: variant of Bow with excrescent -s.

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Buadhaigh (see Bogue).

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Bowes family from?

You can see how Bowes families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bowes family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bowes families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 382 Bowes families living in Ontario. This was about 56% of all the recorded Bowes's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Bowes families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bowes 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 Bowes ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Bowes. 46% of Bowes men worked as a Farmer and 18% of Bowes women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bowes were Clerk and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Bowes | 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
    46%
  • Labourer
    9%
  • Farmers Son
    6%
  • Clerk
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Teacher
    18%
  • Stenographer
    18%
  • Student
    9%
  • Housekeeper
    9%

What Bowes family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 84,000 census records available for the last name Bowes. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bowes census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Bowes

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Bowes. 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 Bowes immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Bowes. For the veterans among your Bowes ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bowes military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bowes family history

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What is the average Bowes lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Bowes life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Bowes in 1947 was 33, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bowes

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bowes ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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