Bowles Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Bowles Name Meaning: A variant of 'Bowell'.This is from 'Powell' (Howell),from 'Hywel' meaning 'Eminent'. Possibly habitational from Howell in Lincolnshire.

This name has been popular since the middle ages in particular in honour of the great 10th century Welsh king.

Discover how your Bowles ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.

Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Bowles Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Bowles family

Profession Census Frequency
General Labourer 102
Living On Own Means 74
Scholar 47
Dress Maker 44
Carpenter 43
Cook Domestic 40
Housemaid Domestic 40
General Servant Domestic 38
Domestic Servant 29
Servant Domestic 27
Agricultural Labourer 27
Laundress Wash 23
Farmer 22
Bricklayer 18
House Maid Domestic 18
House Painter 17
Charwoman 16
School 16
Tailoress 16
Gardener Domestic 13
Bricklayer Labourer 12
Gardener 12
Laundress 12
Dressmaker 11
Cotton Weaver 11

Bowles Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Bowles 100% 33,314
2 Boles 83% 901
3 Booles 83% 852
4 Bools 67% 652
5 Bowls 83% 649
6 Bowels 67% 623
7 Bowlas 83% 542
8 Bolls 67% 208
9 Bawles 83% 155

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The surname Bowles is the most popular version of all its varients

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