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| Origins Available: |
| | England |
The name Bowdish is an old Anglo-Saxon name. It comes from when a family lived in the settlement of Bowditch, an estate in the county of Dorset.
The surname Bowdish was first found in Dorset, in southern England, where they held a family seat from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bowdish research. Another 52 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1773 and 1838 are included under the topic Early Bowdish History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Bowdish were recorded, including Bowditch, Bowdich, Bowdidge and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Bowdish Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Bowdish family emigrate to North America: Walter Bowditch arrived in Philadelphia in 1878; James Bowdidge settled in New England in 1774.