# Bowden (surname)

Bowden (pronounced /ˈboʊdən/ or /ˈbaʊdən/) is an English surname of Old English (Anglo-Saxon) origins. In Old English it translates roughly into "dweller by the top of a hill", and is also the name of the towns of Bowden, Ashprington, and Bowden, Yealmpton, in Devon, as well as Bowden, Derbyshire. There is also a town of Bowden in rural Leicestershire which was recorded as "Bugedone" in the Domesday Book.

## People with the surname Bowden

* Adam Bowden (born 1982), British international track athlete
* Andrew Bowden (born 1930), British Conservative politician
* B. V. Bowden, Baron Bowden (1910–1989), English scientist and educationist
* Ben Bowden (born 1994), American baseball player
* Benjamin Bowden (1906–1998), English automobile and bicycle designer
* Billy Bowden (born 1963), international cricket umpire from New Zealand
* Breck Bowden, American environmental scientist
* A notable American football coaching family:
** Bobby Bowden (1929–2021), American football coach of several college programs, most notably Florida State University
** Tommy Bowden (born 1954), son of Bobby; former coach at several programs, most recently Clemson University
** Terry Bowden (born 1956), son of Bobby; motivational speaker, college football analyst and current University of Akron coach
** Jeff Bowden (born c. 1961), son of Bobby; assistant at several programs, currently at Akron under Terry
* Brent Bowden (born 1987), American football player
* Charles Bowden (1886–1972), New Zealand politician
* Charles Bowden (1945–2014), American author, journalist, and essayist
* Claude Bowden (1897–1984), British air force officer and aeromodeller
* Daniel Bowden (born 1986), New Zealand rugby union player
* David Bowden (1937–2004), Australian Anglican bishop
* Dominic Bowden (born 1977), New Zealand television presenter
* Doug Bowden (1927–2021), New Zealand cricketer
* Eric Bowden (1871–1931), Australian solicitor and politician
* Francis C. Bowden (1903–1972), American pharmacist, mayor of Anchorage, Alaska 1946–1948
* Sir Frank Bowden, 1st Baronet (1848–1921), British businessman, founder of the Raleigh Bicycle Company
* Gerald Bowden (1935–2020), British Conservative politician
* Harold Bowden (1880–1960), son of Frank Bowden, American-born British businessman
* Harry Bowden (1907–1965), American artist
* Herbert Bowden, Baron Aylestone (1905–1994), British Labour politician
* Herbert Bowden (footballer) (1888–1978), Australian rules footballer
* Jack Bowden (1916–1988), Irish cricketer and field hockey player
* James Bowden (American football) (born 1973), American football player
* James Bowden (footballer) (1880–1951), English footballer
* Jamie Bowden (born 1960), British diplomat
* Jim Bowden (baseball) (born 1961), general manager of the Washington Nationals baseball team
* Joel Bowden (born 1978), Australian rules footballer
* Jonathan Bowden (1962–2012), right-wing British political figure
* Katrina Bowden (born 1988), American actress
* Lemuel J. Bowden (1815–1864), American lawyer and politician
* Lilan Bowden (born 1985), American actress and comedian
* Lynn Bowden (born 1997), American football player
* Mark Bowden (English author) (born 1970), British writer on body language
* Mark Bowden (born 1951), American writer
* Michael Bowden (Australian rules footballer)
* Michael Bowden (baseball) (born 1986), American baseball pitcher
* Monty Bowden (1865–1892), English cricketer and wicket-keeper
* Mwata Bowden (born 1947), American jazz reeds player
* Norris Bowden (1926–1991), Canadian figure skater
* Oswald Bowden (1912–1977), English footballer
* Patrick Bowden (born 1981), Australian rules footballer
* Peter Bowden (born 2001), American football player
* Ray Bowden (1909–1998), English footballer
* Richard Bowden (born 1945), American country singer of the "Pinkard & Bowden" duo
* Ron Bowden (born 1942), Australian politician
* Sandra Bowden (born 1943), American artist and painter
* Vivian Lee Bowden (1943–2017), American science journalist