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Dorness Family History

Dorness Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Forness, Furness, Dorney, Fornes, Harness, Garness, Urness, Holness

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Dorness family from?

You can see how Dorness families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dorness family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Dorness families were found in and Scotland in 1861. In 1861 there were 6 Dorness families living in Midlothian. This was 100% of all the recorded Dorness's in Scotland. Midlothian had the highest population of Dorness families in 1861.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dorness surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1861
  • 1871
  • 1881
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What Dorness family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 31 census records available for the last name Dorness. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dorness census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dorness

Passenger Lists

There are 6 immigration records available for the last name Dorness. 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 Dorness immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4 military records available for the last name Dorness. For the veterans among your Dorness ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dorness military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dorness family history

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What is the average Dorness lifespan?

Between 1963 and 1978, in the United States, Dorness life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1978, and highest in 1963. The average life expectancy for Dorness in 1963 was 86, and 62 in 1978.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dorness

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dorness 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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