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Downer Family History

Downer Surname Meaning

English (Isle of Wight, Hampshire, and Sussex): topographic name for someone who lived on a hill or down from Middle English douner, a derivative of Middle English doun (Old English dūn) ‘hill’ + -er. It is synonymous with atte Doune (see Down) and is a type of formation especially common in Sussex, Surrey, and Hampshire.

English: in the north-West Midlands, perhaps a variant of Downward with shortening of the final syllable to -er, a habitational name probably from Downwood (Herefordshire) and perhaps also Dunwood (Staffordshire), with -wood re-etymologized as -ward and occasionally shortened to -ard.

See also Downard. Irish (Tipperary): variant of Dooner.

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


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Where is the Downer family from?

You can see how Downer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Downer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Downer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 564 Downer families living in Hampshire. This was about 43% of all the recorded Downer's in United Kingdom. Hampshire had the highest population of Downer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Downer 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 Downer ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Bricklayer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Downer. 9% of Downer men worked as a Bricklayer and 74% of Downer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Downer were Farmworker and Private Means.

View Census Data for Downer | 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

  • Bricklayer
    9%
  • Gardener
    7%
  • General Labourer
    6%
  • Farmworker
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%

What Downer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 59,000 census records available for the last name Downer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Downer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Downer

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Downer. 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 Downer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Downer. For the veterans among your Downer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Downer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Downer family history

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What is the average Downer lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Downer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Downer in 1947 was 40, and 66 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Downer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Downer 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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