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Dove Family History

Dove Surname Meaning

English: from an Old English female personal name Dūfe from Old English dūfe ‘dove’ occasionally perhaps from Old Norse dúfa ‘dove’ used also as a byname. The name might also have been applied as a nickname for a mild and gentle person or as a metonymic occupational name for a keeper of doves.

Scottish: variant of Duff.

North German and Dutch: nickname for a deaf or dull man.

Middle Low German and Middle Dutch dōf do(o)ve.

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


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Where is the Dove family from?

You can see how Dove families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dove family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dove families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 632 Dove families living in Yorkshire. This was about 19% of all the recorded Dove's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Dove families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dove 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 Dove 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 Dove. 9% of Dove men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Dove women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dove were Builders Labourer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Dove | 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
    7%
  • Gardener
    5%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Dove family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 118,000 census records available for the last name Dove. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dove census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dove

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Dove. 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 Dove immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 15,000 military records available for the last name Dove. For the veterans among your Dove ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dove military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dove family history

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What is the average Dove lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Dove life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Dove in 1943 was 32, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dove

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dove 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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