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Dorman Family History

Dorman Surname Meaning

English: variant of Dearman. This surname became established in Ireland in the 17th century; it is sometimes found as a variant of Dornan.

Americanized form of German Dormann: occupational name for a doorkeeper or gatekeeper or topographic name for someone who lived by the gate of a town or city.

Compare Dorer Dorwart. Hungarian (Dormán): from the old personal name Dormán.

Jewish (Ashkenazic): unexplained.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Dorman family from?

You can see how Dorman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dorman family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dorman families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 143 Dorman families living in London. This was about 17% of all the recorded Dorman's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Dorman families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dorman 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 Dorman ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Dorman. 9% of Dorman men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Dorman women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dorman were Railway Signalman and Housewife.

View Census Data for Dorman | 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

  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Bricklayer
    8%
  • Retired
    6%
  • Railway Signalman
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Dorman family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 78,000 census records available for the last name Dorman. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dorman census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dorman

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Dorman. 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 Dorman immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 13,000 military records available for the last name Dorman. For the veterans among your Dorman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dorman military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dorman family history

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What is the average Dorman lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Dorman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Dorman in 1946 was 42, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dorman

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dorman 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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