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Dowman Family History

Dowman Surname Meaning

English: from the Middle English personal name Dow + man ‘man’ meaning ‘servant of Dow’.

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 Dowman family from?

You can see how Dowman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dowman family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dowman families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 14 Dowman families living in Ontario. This was about 45% of all the recorded Dowman's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Dowman families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dowman 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 Dowman ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Dowman. 29% of Dowman men worked as a Farmer and 17% of Dowman women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dowman were Draftsman and Teacher.

View Census Data for Dowman | 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
    29%
  • Laborer
    18%
  • Clerk
    8%
  • Draftsman
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    17%
  • Housekeeper
    17%
  • Housewife
    10%
  • Teacher
    10%

What Dowman family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Dowman

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 903 military records available for the last name Dowman. For the veterans among your Dowman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dowman military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dowman family history

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What is the average Dowman lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2004, in the United States, Dowman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1986, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Dowman in 1960 was 52, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dowman

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

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