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Boswell Family History

Boswell Name Meaning

English and Scottish (of Norman origin): habitational name from Beuzeville-la-Giffard in Seine-Maritime France named with the ancient Germanic personal name Boso + ville ‘settlement’. The final element has been altered as a result of association with the common placename ending -well ‘spring stream’. Some instances of Bovill may have the same origin.

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


Similar surnames: Bowell, Doswell, Oswell, Bonwell, Boxwell, Cogswell, Rowell, Biswell

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 Boswell family from?

You can see how Boswell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Boswell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Boswell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 38 Boswell families living in Maryland. This was about 13% of all the recorded Boswell's in USA. Maryland had the highest population of Boswell families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Boswell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Boswell ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Boswell. 18% of Boswell men worked as a Farmer and 8% of Boswell women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Boswell were Truck Driver and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Boswell | 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
    18%
  • Laborer
    17%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Teacher
    6%
  • Stenographer
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Boswell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 128,000 census records available for the last name Boswell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Boswell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Boswell

Passenger Lists

There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Boswell. 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 Boswell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 25,000 military records available for the last name Boswell. For the veterans among your Boswell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Boswell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Boswell family history

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What is the average Boswell lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Boswell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Boswell in 1943 was 47, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Boswell

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Boswell family tree

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