Ballygowan is a village or intermediate settlement in County Down, Northern Ireland, situated within the Ards and North Down Borough.

Its name is derived from the Irish Baile Mhic Gabhann (McGowan's townland), although not much is known of the McGowan family for which the village was named. It appears to be a reference to a family or sept bearing the surname Mac Gabhann, later anglicised "McGowan," which is itself derived from gobha (smith), so the name initially indicated descent from a blacksmith. In some regions, the surname was translated directly into English as Smith. The McGowans were historically linked to the Ui Echach Cobo of County Down, a branch of the larger Ulaid confederatio, and were related to the Magennis (McGuinness) clan. The name Baile Mhic Gabhann likely refers to land associated with a McGowan family rather than commemorating a single founder.

Though modest in scale, the history of Ballygowan reflects the broader patterns of settlement, land use, and economic change in Ulster. Today, Ballygowan primarily serves as a commuter settlement for Belfast, but its history is marked by periods of Gaelic occupation, plantation-era transformation, industrial decline, and subsequent suburban growth.

Ballygowan lies approximately 14 kilometres south-east of Belfast, positioned between the towns of Comber to the north-east and Saintfield to the south. It occupies a rural setting on the western side of Strangford Lough, within the civil parishes of Killinchy and Comber, and straddles the historic baronies of Castlereagh Lower and Castlereagh Upper. The village occupies the space at a road junction where routes from Belfast, Comber, and Killyleagh converge, a factor that historically shaped its development.

The settlement is closely linked to Comber, Saintfield, and Newtownards, all of which historically provided employment and markets for Ballygowan's residents. Smaller villages such as Lisbane, Balloo, and Killinchy are nearby.

Prior to the 17th-century Plantation of Ulster, the area was sparsely populated by Irish Gaels, specifically subsepts of the O'Neill clan of Castlereagh. The land fell within the territory of Clannaboy, and records from the mid-18th century still associate the McGowans of the Ards with the O'Neill lineage. Archaeological evidence in the wider County Down region suggests long-standing habitation, although the village itself emerged as a distinct settlement only in the early modern period.

The structured village of Ballygowan took shape in the late 18th century. At that time, it consisted of a bridge over the River Blackwater, a handful of houses, and an inn. The surrounding countryside was populated by tenant farmers and handloom weavers, reflecting the mixed agricultural and proto-industrial economy of rural Ulster. The principal landlords were Lord Dufferin and Lord Londonderry, whose estates dominated the region.

In the 17th century, following the Plantation of Ulster, Lowland Scottish settlers arrived under land grants to James Hamilton and Hugh Montgomery. This migration reshaped the demographic and religious profile of the area, establishing a predominantly Presbyterian population by the late 17th century.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Ballygown remained a small agrarian village, but the introduction of the Belfast & County Down Railway in 1850 transformed its prospects. The railway station, opened in 1858, connected Ballygowan to Belfast, Downpatrick, and Newcastle, stimulating modest growth.

The closure of the railway in 1950 ended Ballygowan's role as a transport hub. Thereafter, the village evolved into a dormitory town with residents commuting to Belfast and other urban centres for work.

Since the mid-20th century, the village has experienced steady population growth, reflecting suburban expansion from Belfast. At the time of the 2021 census, Ballygowan had a population of 3,138 residents.

Agriculture and weaving dominated the local economy of the area during the 18th and early 19th centuries. Tenant farming under large estates was the norm, with many families supplementing their income through linen weaving, a hallmark of Ulster's rural economy. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the railway facilitated trade and commuting, but industrial opportunities were limited compared to those in other nearby towns. Emigration to North America and migration to Belfast for work were common responses to rural decline in Ireland. Today, Ballygowan is primarily a commuter settlement, with local employment limited, although there are some small-scale retail and service businesses. The emphasis of recent development plans has been on community facilities and modest initiatives rather than large-scale industry.

Significant structures in Ballygowan include the Olivet Home (1886) and two Presbyterian Churches, built in 1838 and 1890.

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