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Dowan Family History

Dowan Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Doman, Gowan, Dewan, Down, Doran, Rowan, Dolan, Dwan, Dogan, Doan

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Dowan family from?

You can see how Dowan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dowan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Dowan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there was 1 Dowan family living in London. This was about 50% of all the recorded Dowan's in United Kingdom. London and 1 other county had the highest population of Dowan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dowan 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 Dowan ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Dowan. 60% of Dowan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Dowan | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    60%
  • School Teacher Retired
    40%

What Dowan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Dowan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dowan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dowan

Passenger Lists

There are 305 immigration records available for the last name Dowan. 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 Dowan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 194 military records available for the last name Dowan. For the veterans among your Dowan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dowan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dowan family history

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What is the average Dowan lifespan?

Average Dowan life expectancy in 2000 was 57 years. This was lower than the general public life expectancy which was 75.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dowan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dowan 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Dowan family tree

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