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Dorchester Family History

Dorchester Surname Meaning

English (Middlesex and Berkshire): habitational name either from Dorchester in Oxfordshire or Dorchester the county seat of Dorset.

Both stem from Celtic names Dorcic and Durnovaria respectively + Old English ceaster ‘Roman fort or walled city’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Dorchester family from?

You can see how Dorchester families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dorchester family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dorchester families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 7 Dorchester families living in London. This was about 25% of all the recorded Dorchester's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Dorchester families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dorchester surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Dorchester ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Dorchester. 100% of Dorchester women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Dorchester | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Dorchester family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Dorchester. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dorchester census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dorchester

Passenger Lists

There are 285 immigration records available for the last name Dorchester. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Dorchester immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 657 military records available for the last name Dorchester. For the veterans among your Dorchester ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dorchester military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dorchester family history

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What is the average Dorchester lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Dorchester life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Dorchester in 1954 was 49, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dorchester

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dorchester ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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