Bowen

Bowen is the transferred use of a surname likely developed from the Welsh personal name Owain (Owen). Owain is often considered the Welsh form of Eugene, a name the English borrowed from the Old French equivalent to the Greek Eugenios (Ευγενιος) from “eugenēs” meaning “well born, noble”. The Gaelic form of Eòghann may also be connected with an older Celtic meaning “born of the yew”. The yew tree was sacred to the ancient Celts and revered almost as highly as the oak. They believed the yew symbolized immortality and had certain mystical power (which is perhaps why we often see the word “youth” also associated with Owain in our research). Owain is an illustrious name in Welsh history borne by several royal members of various kingdoms. The most familiar Owain, however, is the one who appears in Arthurian legends – Sir Owain was one of the famed Knights of the Round Table and the husband of the Lady of the Fountain (see literary references on the Owen page for more detail). Sir Owain’s legends were drawn from a real historical figure named Owain mab Urien, a Celtic prince of a northern English kingdom who battled against the Angles in the late 6th century. Written records of the surname Bowen dates back to the late 13th century and was variously recorded as “ap Oweyn”, “Boohan”, “Bohane” and “Bowen”. As a legally given first name Bowen is one of the newest surname additions; it appears only to be used in Australia, Canada and the United States.