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Dowell Family History

Dowell Surname Meaning

Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Dubhghaill (see McDowell).

English: nickname from Middle English do well do will ‘do well’. Compare Farwell 1 and Gowell.

English: variant of Doll.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Dowell family from?

You can see how Dowell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dowell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dowell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 69 Dowell families living in Ontario. This was about 38% of all the recorded Dowell's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Dowell families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dowell 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 Dowell ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Salesman were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Dowell. 36% of Dowell men worked as a Farmer and 30% of Dowell women worked as a Salesman. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dowell were Tailor and Knitter.

View Census Data for Dowell | 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
    36%
  • Labourer
    9%
  • Farmers Son
    9%
  • Tailor
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Salesman
    30%
  • Housekeeper
    30%
  • Servant
    20%
  • Knitter
    20%

What Dowell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 144,000 census records available for the last name Dowell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dowell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Dowell

Passenger Lists

There are 16,000 immigration records available for the last name Dowell. 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 Dowell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 20,000 military records available for the last name Dowell. For the veterans among your Dowell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dowell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dowell family history

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What is the average Dowell lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Dowell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Dowell in 1941 was 39, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dowell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dowell 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Dowell family tree

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