Find out how popular the last name Bowe is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bowe.

Bowe, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Bowe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bowe in America

Bowe is the 5264th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bowe surname appeared 6,628 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Bowe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bowe to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Bowe

The surname Bowe originated in England and has its roots dating back to the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "boga," which means "a bender," referring to a maker or seller of bows. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name were likely involved in the trade of archery equipment or were skilled bowyers.

The earliest recorded instances of the Bowe surname can be traced back to the 13th century. One notable example is found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which mentions a person named Robert le Boghere, derived from the Old English word "boga" and the occupational suffix "-ere," indicating a bowyer or bow maker.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Bowe surname appeared in various historical records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Leicestershire in 1284, where a person named Walter le Boughiere was mentioned. The surname also appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, where a John le Boughiere was listed.

In the 15th century, the surname Bowe was found in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondences from the Paston family of Norfolk, England. One letter, dated 1472, mentions a person named John Bowe, indicating the gradual transition from the earlier spellings to the more modern form.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname Bowe. One prominent figure was John Bowe (1512-1590), an English Protestant reformer and Bishop of Carlisle. Another individual was Robert Bowe (1470-1537), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Middlesex.

In the 17th century, the Bowe surname gained prominence with the birth of John Bowe (1627-1675), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Taunton. During the same period, Henry Bowe (1633-1694) was a notable English mathematician and academic at the University of Oxford.

The 18th century saw the birth of Robert Bowe (1753-1830), an Irish-born English actor and dramatist known for his performances in Shakespeare's plays. Additionally, William Bowe (1721-1792) was an English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works.

As the Bowe surname spread across different regions, it also gave rise to various place names and local variants. For instance, the village of Bowe in County Durham, England, is believed to have derived its name from the Old English word "boga," suggesting a connection to the surname's origin.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bowe

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bowe.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bowe was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Bowe has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Bowe was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Bowe, please contact us.

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