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Downa Family History

Downa 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: Dona, Down, Donna, Downs, Dowda, Donat, Don, Dana, Dong, Downey

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Downa family from?

You can see how Downa families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Downa family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Downa families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1841 there were 2 Downa families living in Lanarkshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Downa's in Scotland. Lanarkshire had the highest population of Downa families in 1841.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Downa surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1841
  • 1851
  • 1871
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What did your Downa ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Downa. 27% of Downa men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Downa women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Downa were Clerk and Stenographer.

View Census Data for Downa | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    27%
  • Laborer
    22%
  • Salesman
    13%
  • Clerk
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    50%
  • Waitress
    25%
  • Stenographer
    25%

What Downa family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 745 census records available for the last name Downa. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Downa census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Downa

Passenger Lists

There are 81 immigration records available for the last name Downa. 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 Downa immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 36 military records available for the last name Downa. For the veterans among your Downa ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Downa military records

You've only scratched the surface of Downa family history

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What is the average Downa lifespan?

Between 1964 and 1995, in the United States, Downa life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1964, and highest in 1977. The average life expectancy for Downa in 1964 was 71, and 78 in 1995.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Downa

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Downa 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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