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Owans Family History

Owans Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Omans, Owens, Gowans, Cowans, Wang, Wass, Hwang, Swan, Oman, Wand

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 Owans family from?

You can see how Owans families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Owans family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Owans families were found in USA in 1880. In 1880 there were 9 Owans families living in Kentucky. This was about 13% of all the recorded Owans's in USA. Kentucky and 1 other state had the highest population of Owans families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Owans surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Owans ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Laundress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Owans. 36% of Owans men worked as a Farmer and 25% of Owans women worked as a Laundress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Owans were Salesman and Maid. .

View Census Data for Owans | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    36%
  • Laborer
    22%
  • Farming
    6%
  • Salesman
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Laundress
    25%
  • Housekeeper
    25%
  • Housewife
    25%
  • Maid
    25%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Owans family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Owans. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Owans census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Owans

Passenger Lists

There are 251 immigration records available for the last name Owans. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Owans immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 172 military records available for the last name Owans. For the veterans among your Owans ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Owans military records

You've only scratched the surface of Owans family history

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What is the average Owans lifespan?

Between 1974 and 1990, in the United States, Owans life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1978, and highest in 1974. The average life expectancy for Owans in 1974 was 73, and 57 in 1990.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Owans

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