History of your Surname
Get access to Dowler family records.Start a free trial

Dowler Family History

Dowler Name Meaning

English (West Midlands): occupational name for a maker of felloes (wooden wheel rims) from a derivative of Middle English doule deul dul ‘felloe’ probably a borrowing of Old French do(u)ele ‘stave (of a barrel)’ and applied to the curved pieces of wood that form the circular rim of a wheel. Modern English dowel ‘headless pin peg or bolt’ may be the same word but this sense is not recorded in Middle English. Irish (Leitrim): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Dalachair ‘descendant of Dalachair’ from a personal name possibly meaning ‘lover of assemblies’ (dál). It was also Anglicized as Dallagher.

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


Similar surnames: Bowler, Dower, Fowler, Dobler, Bowker, Downer, Ohler, Cobler, Doner

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Dowler family from?

You can see how Dowler families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dowler family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dowler families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 68 Dowler families living in Ontario. This was about 54% of all the recorded Dowler's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Dowler families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dowler surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Dowler ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Dowler. 63% of Dowler men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Dowler women worked as a Teacher. .

View Census Data for Dowler | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    63%
  • Farmers Son
    11%
  • Carpenter
    7%
  • Trainman
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Teacher
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Dowler family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 26,000 census records available for the last name Dowler. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dowler census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Dowler

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Dowler. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Dowler immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Dowler. For the veterans among your Dowler ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dowler military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dowler family history

Discover More

What is the average Dowler lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Dowler life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Dowler in 1948 was 65, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dowler

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Dowler family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Dowler last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial