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Dorsey Family History

Dorsey Name Meaning

English (East Yorkshire): of French origin a habitational name with French preposition d(e) from Orsay in Seine-et-Orne France or from Orçay in Loire-et-Cher recorded in the 13th century as Orceiacum from the Latin personal name Orcius + the locative suffix -acum.

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


Similar surnames: Dorney, Dore, Darsey, Horsey, Dorey, Dolney, Darney, Downey, Cossey

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Dorsey family from?

You can see how Dorsey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dorsey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dorsey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 66 Dorsey families living in Ontario. This was about 50% of all the recorded Dorsey's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Dorsey families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dorsey surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Dorsey ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Dorsey. 73% of Dorsey men worked as a Farmer and 34% of Dorsey women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dorsey were Miner and Student. .

View Census Data for Dorsey | 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
    73%
  • Carpenter
    7%
  • Laborer
    7%
  • Miner
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    34%
  • School Teacher
    23%
  • Ruler
    23%
  • Student
    23%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Dorsey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 150,000 census records available for the last name Dorsey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dorsey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Dorsey

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Dorsey. 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 Dorsey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 36,000 military records available for the last name Dorsey. For the veterans among your Dorsey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dorsey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dorsey family history

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What is the average Dorsey lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Dorsey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Dorsey in 1940 was 52, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dorsey

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