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Dowding Family History

Dowding Surname Meaning

English: variant of Dodding from the Middle English personal name Dodding or Dudding, an Old English patronymic meaning ‘son of Dodda or Dudda’.

Compare Dodd 1 and see Dowden.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Dowding family from?

You can see how Dowding families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dowding family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dowding families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 230 Dowding families living in London. This was about 16% of all the recorded Dowding's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Dowding families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dowding 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 Dowding 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 Dowding. 17% of Dowding men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Dowding women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dowding were Builders Labourer and Private Means.

View Census Data for Dowding | 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
    17%
  • Incapacitated
    7%
  • Railway Clerk
    7%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Dowding family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 28,000 census records available for the last name Dowding. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dowding census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dowding

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Dowding. 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 Dowding immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Dowding. For the veterans among your Dowding ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dowding military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dowding family history

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What is the average Dowding lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Dowding life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1962, and highest in 1966. The average life expectancy for Dowding in 1952 was 53, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dowding

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dowding 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 Dowding family tree

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