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Doney Family History

Doney Name Meaning

English (Cornwall): of uncertain origin. There is a Richard Donowe recorded in 1451-64 as a tenant in Manuels Saint Columb Minor whose surname appears to be a pet form of an unidentified personal name with the Cornish hypocoristic suffix -ow. Formally this might have become Doney but Donowe itself seems not to have survived unless it was altered to Downey . However there is no evidence to suggest any connection of this west Cornwall surname with Doney in central and east Cornwall (Bodmin and Quethiock). Alternatively perhaps it is a variant of the Devon name Downey and with the main vowel shortened and lowered but evidence for this is lacking. Americanized form of French Canadian Daunais or Donais .

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


Similar surnames: Done, Dowey, Dobey, Doten, Honey, Coney, Dorey, Loney, Toney, Dover

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Doney family from?

You can see how Doney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Doney family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Doney families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 11 Doney families living in New York. This was about 37% of all the recorded Doney's in USA. New York had the highest population of Doney families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Doney surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Doney ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Doney. 24% of Doney men worked as a Laborer and 9% of Doney women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Doney were Truck Driver and Cook. .

View Census Data for Doney | 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

  • Laborer
    24%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Truck Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    9%
  • Seamstress
    8%
  • Clerk
    7%
  • Cook
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Doney family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 24,000 census records available for the last name Doney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Doney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Doney. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Doney. For the veterans among your Doney ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Doney lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Doney life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Doney in 1944 was 25, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Doney

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