Bowen Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Bowen last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Bowen last name
Meaning of the Bowen last name: son of Owain. Bowen is a Welsh name meaning "son of Owain". The Welsh word ab, "son of", joined the father's name, so ab Owain became Bowen. Owain was a name borne by Welsh heroes, including the famous rebel Owain Glyndŵr. The name is most at home in south-west Wales. A curious detail: Welsh Bowens were among the early settlers of Pennsylvania, and the name is also found in Cork.
Arms associated with the Bowen name
In medieval England colours carried meaning, with blue for loyalty and red for courage, and arms used by Bowen families draw on that language.
Get your full Bowen family history
This is only a glimpse of the Bowen story. The full Bowen history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Bowen coat of arms. Get the full Bowen report.
Bowen name FAQ
What does the Bowen name mean?
Son of Owain. Common variants include Bown, Bowne, Owens.
Where does the Bowen surname come from?
It originates in Wales, and is also found in England, the United States and Australia.
Is there a Bowen coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Bowen coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.