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Dower Family History

Dower Surname Meaning

English (Cornwall): occupational name for a baker from Middle English dougher dower ‘dough maker; baker’ a derivative of Old English dāh (genitive dāges) ‘dough’.

Irish (Waterford): variant of Dore.

Probably an Americanized form of German Dauer.

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


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Where is the Dower family from?

You can see how Dower families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dower family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dower families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 129 Dower families living in Cornwall. This was about 21% of all the recorded Dower's in United Kingdom. Cornwall had the highest population of Dower families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dower 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 Dower 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 Dower. 21% of Dower men worked as a General Labourer and 83% of Dower women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dower were Farmerheavy Worker and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Dower | 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
    21%
  • Builders Labourer
    18%
  • Dairy Farmer
    14%
  • Farmerheavy Worker
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    83%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Dower family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 24,000 census records available for the last name Dower. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dower census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dower

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Dower. 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 Dower immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Dower military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dower family history

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What is the average Dower lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Dower life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Dower in 1957 was 47, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dower

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dower 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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