The Bowie surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,786 people carried this name — #3,039 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 25,000 people counted. That is up 8% from 10,943 in 2000.

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Where the name comes from

The origin of the Bowie surname

From Irish Ó Buadhaigh and Scottish Gaelic Mac 'Ille Bhuidh.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Bowie» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Scotland’s registers today

Bowie was recorded 53 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 492nd most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 68. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

49 families named Bowie, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 295 people lived in those households, 6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 5 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Maryland 22
North Carolina 18
New York 4
Pennsylvania 3
South Carolina 2

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 230 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Bowie in American newspapers,
1923–1924.

Newspaper page from Watauga Democrat carrying the name Bowie
Watauga Democrat 1924-04-03
Newspaper page from Watauga Democrat carrying the name Bowie
Watauga Democrat 1923-04-05
Newspaper page from Watauga Democrat carrying the name Bowie
Watauga Democrat 1924-08-07

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 4,954 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Bowie in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2010s.

15,973 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Bowie. The most, 4,309, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in the Northern Territory, at 1.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 6,914
Victoria 4,354
Queensland 2,109
South Australia 1,350
Tasmania 575
Western Australia 511
ACT (Canberra) 101
Northern Territory 39

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Bowie.

Who carried it

People named Bowie,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Robert Bowie
    Robert Bowie 1750–1818 · politician
  • Mary Mackall Wootton Bowie
    Mary Mackall Wootton Bowie 1776–1825
  • William Bowie
    William Bowie 1783–1819 · merchant
  • Rezin Bowie
    Rezin Bowie 1793–1841 · politician
  • Mary Mackall Johnson
    Mary Mackall Johnson 1801–1873

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 170 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Bowie,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,020 records

1,020 records of the Bowie name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 344
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 237
  • Other U.S. records 439
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Ben H. Bowie

    Born 1922 in Mississippi. Enlisted 1942 at Camp Shelby; farmer from Lafayette County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1998, buried at West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery, Memphis, Tennessee.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Sydney D. Bowie

    Born 1919 in California. Enlisted 1941 at San Francisco; sales clerk. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1997, buried at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Alice Bowie

    Arrived at New York in 1858 aboard the City of New York from Liverpool, aged 33; marrier. From Scotland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,020 records for Bowie in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia402 records

402 records of the Bowie name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 231
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 69
  • Other Australian records 102
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Andrew Tait Bowie

    Died 1935 in Tasmania, aged 52. Will registered in Tasmania in 1935.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record William Bowie

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Portland, arriving 1833.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Alexr Bowie

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the H C Kidston, aged 20; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 402 records for Bowie in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada230 records

230 records of the Bowie name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 182
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 16
  • Other Canadian records 32
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record James John Bowie

    Buried in 1967 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 79.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Sarah Bowie

    Died 1966 in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Walter Robert Bowie

    Died in service in 1944.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 230 records for Bowie in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom99 records

99 records of the Bowie name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 59
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 20
  • Other British records 20
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Alexander Bowie

    Born 1891 at Alves; bookseller. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William John Duncan Bowie

    Died 1971, aged 69; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jane Bowie

    Buried in 1830 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 77.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 99 records for Bowie in the United Kingdom.

Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand18 records

18 records of the Bowie name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 14
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 3
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Bowie

    Died 1937, aged 61; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Robert McGowan Bowie

    Buried in 1907 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 67.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record H. Bowie

    New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 18 records for Bowie in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Netherlands5 records

5 records of the Bowie name in the Netherlands Dutch population registers
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Jane Elle Bowie

    In the population register of Amsterdam; born 1865 in Welthpool.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Amsterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Elizabeth Bowie

    In the population register of Utrecht.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Alex Chishele Plouden Bowie

    In a population register.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Bowie in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Germany2 records

2 records of the Bowie name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Johannes Bowie

    From Stade. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 22 October 1914; then reported dead in the list of 30 January 1917 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 78).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Wilhelm Bowie

    From Hamburg. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 10 May 1918.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

France1 record

1 record of the Bowie name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Roger Claude Maurice Bowie

    Born 1923 in Polincove (Pas-de-Calais); died 1998 in Troyes (Aube).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Bowie.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Bowie is.
A volume says what happened to it.

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