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Gowan Family History

Gowan Name Meaning

Scottish and Irish (Laois and Dublin): from Scottish Gaelic Ó Gobhann Mac Gobhann Irish Mac Gabhann ‘descendant (or son) of the smith’ (from gobha ‘smith’). In Ireland (in the south especially) this name has often been translated into English as Smith . Compare McGowan .

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


Similar surnames: Govan, Rowan, Gogan, Logan, Gowans, Gowen, Toran, Cowan, Coan, Ronan

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Gowan family from?

You can see how Gowan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gowan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gowan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 7 Gowan families living in New York. This was about 27% of all the recorded Gowan's in USA. New York had the highest population of Gowan families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gowan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Gowan ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gowan. 16% of Gowan men worked as a Farmer and 9% of Gowan women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gowan were Truck Driver and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Gowan | 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
    16%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    9%
  • Saleslady
    7%
  • Laborer
    7%
  • Stenographer
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Gowan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 74,000 census records available for the last name Gowan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gowan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Gowan

Passenger Lists

There are 15,000 immigration records available for the last name Gowan. 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 Gowan immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Gowan military records

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What is the average Gowan lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Gowan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Gowan in 1946 was 41, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gowan

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