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Dowdy Family History

Dowdy Surname Meaning

Irish: variant of Doody. Compare Dowd.

English: nickname from early modern English dowdy ‘shabby unattractive’.

Compare Dowd.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Dowdy family from?

You can see how Dowdy families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dowdy family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dowdy families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 57 Dowdy families living in Norfolk. This was about 29% of all the recorded Dowdy's in United Kingdom. Norfolk had the highest population of Dowdy families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dowdy 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 Dowdy ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farm Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Dowdy. 24% of Dowdy men worked as a Farm Labourer and 80% of Dowdy women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dowdy were Builders Labourer and Housewife.

View Census Data for Dowdy | 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 Male Occupations In 1939

  • Farm Labourer
    24%
  • General Labourer
    16%
  • Warehouseman
    16%
  • Builders Labourer
    16%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Domestic Service
    5%
  • Waitress
    4%
  • Housewife
    4%

What Dowdy family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 37,000 census records available for the last name Dowdy. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dowdy census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dowdy

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Dowdy. 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 Dowdy immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Dowdy. For the veterans among your Dowdy ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dowdy military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dowdy family history

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What is the average Dowdy lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Dowdy life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Dowdy in 1945 was 39, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dowdy

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dowdy 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Dowdy family tree

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