Explore the Family Name Bowhay

The meaning of Bowhay

English (Devon and Cornwall): from Bowhay Farm in Exminster (Devon) or Bowhayes Farm in Culmstock (Devon). The placenames derive from Middle English boue, bogh ‘bow, arch, bend’ + wei ‘road, way’ (Old English boga, weg).

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Bowhay in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Bowhay experienced a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the surname dropped from 66,676 in 2000 to 70,403 in 2010, marking a change of -5.59%. However, the actual count of individuals with this surname remained fairly steady, increasing marginally from 277 to 278 over the decade. This equates to a change of 0.36%, with the proportion per 100,000 people dropping by 10% over the same period.

20002010Change
Rank#66,676#70,403-5.59%
Count2772780.36%
Proportion per 100k0.10.09-10%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bowhay

The ethnicity associated with the Bowhay surname showed some interesting shifts between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The majority of individuals identifying as Bowhay were of White ethnicity, although there was a slight decrease from 92.78% in 2000 to 88.49% in 2010. The Hispanic ethnic identity group saw a notable increase, growing from 3.61% in 2000 to 6.12% in 2010, representing a change of 69.53%. The data also shows that in 2010, a small percentage (3.24%) of people with the Bowhay surname identified with two or more races. The categories of Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native all recorded no instances for this surname during both census years.

20002010Change
White92.78%88.49%-4.62%
Hispanic3.61%6.12%69.53%
Two or More Races0%3.24%0%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%