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Dovey Family History

Dovey Name Meaning

Irish: variant of Duffy . English: habitational name perhaps from the valley of the River Dovey (Dyfi) in Merionethshire and Cardiganshire in Wales specifically Aberdovey (Merionethshire). Americanized form of Norwegian Dåvøy: habitational name from a farm so named in western Norway from dove ‘shaking bog’ + øy ‘island’.

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


Similar surnames: Dover, Dove, Doxey, Doten, Dowey, Dobey, Sovey, Poley, Davey, Dovel

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Dovey family from?

You can see how Dovey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dovey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dovey families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 2 Dovey families living in New York. This was about 67% of all the recorded Dovey's in USA. New York had the highest population of Dovey families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dovey surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Dovey ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Dovey. 19% of Dovey men worked as a Farmer and 25% of Dovey women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dovey were Salesman and Glove Maker. .

View Census Data for Dovey | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    19%
  • Laborer
    9%
  • Clerk
    9%
  • Salesman
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    25%
  • Teacher
    13%
  • Clerk
    13%
  • Glove Maker
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Dovey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 28,000 census records available for the last name Dovey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dovey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Dovey

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Dovey. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Dovey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Dovey. For the veterans among your Dovey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dovey military records

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What is the average Dovey lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Dovey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Dovey in 1954 was 68, and 57 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dovey

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