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Dowley Family History

Dowley Surname Meaning

Irish (Cork): variant of Dooley. English: variant of Duley Dolley and Olley.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Dowley family from?

You can see how Dowley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dowley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dowley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 26 Dowley families living in Ontario. This was about 74% of all the recorded Dowley's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Dowley families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dowley 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 Dowley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Dowley. 20% of Dowley men worked as a Farmer and 43% of Dowley women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dowley were Operator and Stenographer.

View Census Data for Dowley | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    20%
  • Clerk
    17%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Operator
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    43%
  • Cook
    29%
  • Stenographer
    29%

What Dowley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Dowley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dowley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Dowley

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Dowley. 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 Dowley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 852 military records available for the last name Dowley. For the veterans among your Dowley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dowley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dowley family history

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What is the average Dowley lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2003, in the United States, Dowley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1973, and highest in 1974. The average life expectancy for Dowley in 1965 was 76, and 86 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dowley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dowley 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 Dowley family tree

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