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Dowsey Family History

Dowsey Surname Meaning

Perhaps from the Old Scandinavian (Old Danish) personal name Dūsi apparently from dūs ‘flat calm’. Compare Dowsing.

Perhaps occasionally from south-western and W Midlands Middle English dusi (Old English dysig) ‘foolish unwise’.

Source: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, 2021


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Where is the Dowsey family from?

You can see how Dowsey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dowsey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dowsey families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 59 Dowsey families living in Durham. This was about 49% of all the recorded Dowsey's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Dowsey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dowsey 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 Dowsey ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Colliery Hewer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Dowsey. 100% of Dowsey men worked as a Colliery Hewer and 90% of Dowsey women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Dowsey | 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

  • Colliery Hewer
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    90%
  • Unpaid Domestic Work
    6%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    6%

What Dowsey family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Dowsey

Passenger Lists

There are 312 immigration records available for the last name Dowsey. 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 Dowsey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 180 military records available for the last name Dowsey. For the veterans among your Dowsey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dowsey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dowsey family history

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What is the average Dowsey lifespan?

Between 1967 and 2004, in the United States, Dowsey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2004, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Dowsey in 1967 was 77, and 27 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dowsey

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dowsey 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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