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

Bowser, 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 Bowser surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bowser in America

Bowser is the 2517th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bowser surname appeared 14,383 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Bowser.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bowser 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 Bowser

The surname Bowser is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word 'bogis', which means 'to bend' or 'to bow'. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who had a physical characteristic of being bent or bowed over.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bowser can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as 'Boughisere'. This reference indicates that the name was already in use during the time of the Norman Conquest.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various records and documents, often with slight variations in spelling, such as 'Bowghser', 'Boughser', and 'Bowgser'. These variations reflect the lack of standardized spelling during that time period.

In the 13th century, the name Bowser was associated with a place called Bowser Hill, located in the county of Yorkshire. It is possible that some individuals with the surname may have taken their name from this location, though the exact origins remain unclear.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Bowser was John Bowser, who was born in 1492 in the town of Beverley, Yorkshire. He was a prominent merchant and landowner during the Tudor period.

Another notable figure bearing the name was Sir Thomas Bowser (1540-1612), a military commander and courtier during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He played a significant role in the English campaigns against the Spanish Armada.

In the 17th century, the name Bowser appeared in the records of the Virginia Colony in North America. One such individual was William Bowser (1628-1692), who was among the early English settlers in the Chesapeake Bay region.

During the 18th century, the Bowser family established themselves as prominent landowners and industrialists in the county of Lancashire, England. One of the most notable members was John Bowser (1726-1804), who owned several textile mills and played a key role in the Industrial Revolution.

Another notable figure was Sir Henry Bowser (1792-1868), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became an influential politician and colonial administrator in Canada.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals with the surname Bowser throughout history. While the name has its origins in medieval England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, reflecting the diverse migratory patterns of those who bore this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bowser

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

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 Bowser 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 Bowser 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 Bowser was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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