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Dowker Family History

Dowker Surname Meaning

Unexplained; perhaps a locative name from Docker in Whittington parish (Lancs) about 5 miles from Warton or from a place in Westm with the same name.

The place-name may be from Old Scandinavian dǫkk ‘hollow valley’ + ǽrgi ‘shieling’.

In theory, perhaps a nickname from Middle English doukere ‘a diving bird’.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Dowker family from?

You can see how Dowker families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dowker family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Dowker families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 39 Dowker families living in Yorkshire. This was about 26% of all the recorded Dowker's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Dowker families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dowker 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 Dowker ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Lorry Driver and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Dowker. 100% of Dowker men worked as a Lorry Driver and 89% of Dowker women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Dowker | 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

  • Lorry Driver
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    89%
  • Private Means
    6%
  • Home Laundry
    6%

What Dowker family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Dowker. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dowker census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dowker

Passenger Lists

There are 723 immigration records available for the last name Dowker. 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 Dowker immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 467 military records available for the last name Dowker. For the veterans among your Dowker ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dowker military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dowker family history

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What is the average Dowker lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Dowker life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1975, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Dowker in 1964 was 78, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dowker

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dowker 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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