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Dowlen Family History

Dowlen Surname Meaning

English (Sussex and Surrey): variant of Dolling a nickname from an unrecorded Middle English dolling douling dulling ‘dull or stupid one’.

Compare Doll Dowling Dowlin and Dowland.

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 Dowlen family from?

You can see how Dowlen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dowlen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dowlen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 34 Dowlen families living in Sussex. This was about 39% of all the recorded Dowlen's in United Kingdom. Sussex had the highest population of Dowlen families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dowlen 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 Dowlen ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Cowman Heavy Worker and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Dowlen. 50% of Dowlen men worked as a Cowman Heavy Worker and 77% of Dowlen women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dowlen were Cowman and Household Work.

View Census Data for Dowlen | 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

  • Cowman Heavy Worker
    50%
  • Bank Official
    25%
  • Cowman
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Old Age Pensioner
    8%
  • Paid Domestic
    8%
  • Household Work
    8%

What Dowlen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Dowlen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dowlen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dowlen

Passenger Lists

There are 357 immigration records available for the last name Dowlen. 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 Dowlen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 700 military records available for the last name Dowlen. For the veterans among your Dowlen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dowlen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dowlen family history

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What is the average Dowlen lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Dowlen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1965. The average life expectancy for Dowlen in 1942 was 42, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dowlen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dowlen 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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