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Dowsing Family History

Dowsing Surname Meaning

from an unrecorded Middle English personal name Dusing which may derive from Old Scandinavian (Old Danish) Dúsi (apparently from dús ‘calm’)

+ the Old English hypocoristic suffix -ing.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Dowsing family from?

You can see how Dowsing families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dowsing family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dowsing families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 69 Dowsing families living in Suffolk. This was about 25% of all the recorded Dowsing's in United Kingdom. Suffolk had the highest population of Dowsing families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dowsing 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 Dowsing ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farm Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Dowsing. 14% of Dowsing men worked as a Farm Labourer and 72% of Dowsing women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dowsing were Wood Machinist and Housewife.

View Census Data for Dowsing | 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

  • Farm Labourer
    14%
  • Agricultural Labourer
    14%
  • Motor Engineer
    10%
  • Wood Machinist
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Waitress
    4%
  • Housewife
    4%

What Dowsing family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Dowsing. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dowsing census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dowsing

Passenger Lists

There are 385 immigration records available for the last name Dowsing. 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 Dowsing immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 521 military records available for the last name Dowsing. For the veterans among your Dowsing ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dowsing military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dowsing family history

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What is the average Dowsing lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2003, in the United States, Dowsing life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1994, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Dowsing in 1966 was 83, and 91 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dowsing

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dowsing 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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