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Dornan Family History

Dornan Surname Meaning

Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Dornáin (the East Ulster form) or Ó Doirnín ‘descendant of Doirnán’.

A byname from a diminutive of dorn ‘fist’.

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


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Where is the Dornan family from?

You can see how Dornan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dornan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dornan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 22 Dornan families living in Lancashire. This was about 27% of all the recorded Dornan's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Dornan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dornan 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 Dornan ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Clerk and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Dornan. 34% of Dornan men worked as a Clerk and 90% of Dornan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dornan were Dock Labourer and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Dornan | 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

  • Clerk
    34%
  • Medical Practitioner
    34%
  • Dock Labourer
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    90%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Domestic Duties
    6%

What Dornan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 11,000 census records available for the last name Dornan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dornan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dornan

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Dornan. For the veterans among your Dornan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dornan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dornan family history

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What is the average Dornan lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Dornan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Dornan in 1943 was 43, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dornan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dornan 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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