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Downings Family History

Downings 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: Downing, Dorning, Dowling, Downin, Owings, Dowding, Horning, Ronning

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Downings family from?

You can see how Downings families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Downings family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Downings families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1891 there were 3 Downings families living in Cheshire. This was about 75% of all the recorded Downings's in United Kingdom. Cheshire had the highest population of Downings families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Downings 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 Downings ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Seamstress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Downings. 43% of Downings men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Downings women worked as a Seamstress.

View Census Data for Downings | 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
    43%
  • Porter
    29%
  • Laborer
    29%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Seamstress
    100%

What Downings family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 521 census records available for the last name Downings. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Downings census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Downings

Passenger Lists

There are 38 immigration records available for the last name Downings. 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 Downings immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 253 military records available for the last name Downings. For the veterans among your Downings ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Downings military records

You've only scratched the surface of Downings family history

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What is the average Downings lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2002, in the United States, Downings life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1994, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Downings in 1966 was 66, and 83 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Downings

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Downings 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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