The Surname of Bowman

Bowman Coat of Arms (English)*

Bauman Coat of Arms (German)*

Bowman - Irish

The name Bowman comes from the Gaelic occupation name of cattle man Bo being the Gaelic name for 'cow'. The family of Bowmans were under the Clan MacHardy before the MacHardys joined the Clan Farquharson. They were under both the Farquharson of Invercauld and Farquharson of Inverey. There was a James Bowman at Gate side under Farquharson of Tullochcoy in February 19, 1772.

Bowman - English and Scottish

The name Bowman is a occupational name for an archer, Middle English bow(e)man, bouman (from Old English boga ‘bow’ + mann ‘man’). This word was distinguished from Bowyer, which denoted a maker or seller of the articles. It is possible that in some cases the surname referred originally to someone who untangled wool with a bow. This process, which originated in Italy, became quite common in England in the 13th century. The vibrating string of a bow was worked into a pile of tangled wool, where its rapid vibrations separated the fibers, while still leaving them sufficiently entwined to produce a fine, soft yarn when spun.

Bauer - German and Jewish (Ashkenazic)

The name Bowman or Bauer is a status name for a peasant or nickname meaning ‘neighbor’, ‘fellow citizen’, from Middle High German (ge)bur, Middle Low German bur, denoting an occupant of a bur, a small dwelling or building. Compare Old English bur, modern English bower. This word later fell together with Middle High German buwære, an agent noun from Old High German buan ‘to cultivate’, later also (at first in Low German dialects) ‘to build’. The German surname thus has two possible senses: ‘peasant’ and ‘neighbor’, ‘fellow citizen’. The precise meaning of the Jewish surname, which is of later formation, is unclear. This surname is also found elsewhere in central and eastern Europe, for example in Slovenia, where it may also be a translation of Kmet.

Bauman - Dutch

The name Bowman or Bauman is a status name for a peasant or land worker or a nickname meaning ‘neighbor’, Middle Dutch bouman.

Partly taken from:
Dictionary of American Family Names,
Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4

* Coat of Arms belonged to families and/or individual persons. People with the Surname of Bowman came from England, Germany, the Netherlands & many other places. Bowmans from a different countries would have a different Coat of Arms.