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Dorval Family History

Dorval Name Meaning

Breton and French: habitational name with fused French preposition d(e) ‘from’ for someone from either of two places called Orval (in Manche and Cher) the one in Manche recorded in Latin as Aurea Vallis ‘Golden Valley’ in 1100. In France this surname is by far most common in Finistère in Brittany. West Indian (mainly Haiti): nickname or ornamental name composed of French d'or ‘of gold’ and val ‘valley’. The surname may possibly also be of the same origin as 1 above.

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


Similar surnames: Dorta, Portal, Coval, Toral, Corral, Belval, Devol, Morea, Dormer

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Where is the Dorval family from?

You can see how Dorval families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dorval family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dorval families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1911 there were 503 Dorval families living in Quebec. This was about 95% of all the recorded Dorval's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Dorval families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dorval 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 Dorval ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Journalier and Ouvrire were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Dorval. 27% of Dorval men worked as a Journalier and 29% of Dorval women worked as an Ouvrire. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dorval were Marchande and Cultivateur. .

View Census Data for Dorval | 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

  • Journalier
    27%
  • Cultivateur
    18%
  • Farmer
    8%
  • Marchande
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Ouvrire
    29%
  • Servante
    22%
  • Revenue
    22%
  • Cultivateur
    15%
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What Dorval family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 11,000 census records available for the last name Dorval. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dorval census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Dorval

Passenger Lists

There are 667 immigration records available for the last name Dorval. 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 Dorval immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 737 military records available for the last name Dorval. For the veterans among your Dorval ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Dorval lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2004, in the United States, Dorval life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1979. The average life expectancy for Dorval in 1960 was 36, and 58 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dorval

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