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Mcdowell Family History

Mcdowell Surname Meaning

Scottish and Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Dubhghaill ‘son of Dubhghall’ a byname meaning ‘dark stranger’ used among the Gaels to distinguish the darker-haired Danes from fair-haired Norwegians.

This is the usual Irish spelling of this name while McDougall is the usual Scottish spelling.

However McDowall is also common in south west Scotland and a prominent Galloway family with this name first appear in the historical record in the late 13th century.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Mcdowell family from?

You can see how Mcdowell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Mcdowell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Mcdowell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 165 Mcdowell families living in Lancashire. This was about 33% of all the recorded Mcdowell's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Mcdowell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Mcdowell 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 Mcdowell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Mcdowell. 32% of Mcdowell men worked as a General Labourer and 80% of Mcdowell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Mcdowell were Gardener and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Mcdowell | 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

  • General Labourer
    32%
  • Colliery Hewer
    5%
  • Compositor
    5%
  • Gardener
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housekeeper
    2%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%

What Mcdowell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 211,000 census records available for the last name Mcdowell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Mcdowell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Mcdowell

Passenger Lists

There are 21,000 immigration records available for the last name Mcdowell. 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 Mcdowell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 49,000 military records available for the last name Mcdowell. For the veterans among your Mcdowell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Mcdowell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Mcdowell family history

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What is the average Mcdowell lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Mcdowell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Mcdowell in 1942 was 28, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Mcdowell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Mcdowell 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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