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Bothwell Family History

Bothwell Surname Meaning

Scottish (Aberdeenshire) and northern Irish: habitational name from a place in Lanarkshire named Bothwell.

It originates from Middle English both(e) ‘bothy, small hut’.

The second part of the name comes from well(a) ‘spring, stream’.

The name Bothwell signifies a location associated with a small dwelling near a water source.

This etymology reflects the geographic and architectural characteristics of the area during its naming.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bothwell family from?

You can see how Bothwell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bothwell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bothwell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 58 Bothwell families living in Ontario. This was about 45% of all the recorded Bothwell's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Bothwell families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bothwell 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 Bothwell ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Student were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Bothwell. 78% of Bothwell men worked as a Farmer and 25% of Bothwell women worked as a Student. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bothwell were Clerk and Income.

View Census Data for Bothwell | 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
    78%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Cultivateur
    7%
  • Clerk
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Student
    25%
  • Civil Servant
    25%
  • Teacher
    25%
  • Income
    25%

What Bothwell family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Bothwell

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Bothwell. For the veterans among your Bothwell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bothwell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bothwell family history

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What is the average Bothwell lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Bothwell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Bothwell in 1941 was 39, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bothwell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bothwell 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Bothwell family tree

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