Dover Family History

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Dover Name Meaning

English: habitational name from the port of Dover in Kent, named from the river on which it stands, a Celtic name meaning ‘the waters’ (from the word which became modern Welsh dwfr ‘water’). North German: habitational name from Doveren in the Rhineland, of uncertain etymology; the origin is possibly Celtic and so related ultimately to 1, or a variant of Dove 4.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Over, Dove, Hover, Dovey, Cover, Rover, Haver, Diver, Dormer, Deger

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Dover Ethnicity Estimate

What are the common regions with the Dover name?

These results combine data from everyone in the AncestryDNA® database with the last name Dover. The Ancestry® ethnicity regions shown are top five most common on average for these people.

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  • England & Wales

    57%

  • Ireland & Scotland

    19%

  • Germanic Europe

    6%

  • Norway

    3%

  • Cameroon, Congo, & Southern Bantu Peoples

    2%

Your own DNA-based ethnicity estimate will differ from what you see here. To get your personalized ethnicity estimate, order an AncestryDNA® kit.order an AncestryDNA® kit.

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Dover Family Origin

Where is the Dover family from?

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1840
    1920
    You can see how Dover families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dover family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dover families were found in the UK in 1891. In 1840 there were 18 Dover families living in Georgia. This was about 25% of all the recorded Dover's in the USA. Georgia had the highest population of Dover families in 1840.
    Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dover surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

    View Census Data for Dover

    Dover Family Occupations

    What did your Dover ancestors do for a living?

    In 1880, Farmer, Laborer and Keeping House were the top 3 reported jobs worked by Dover. The most common Dover occupation in the USA was Farmer. 42% of Dover's were Farmers. A less common occupation for the Dover family was Farm Laborer.

    View Census data for Dover | Data not to scale

    • Farmer

      42%

    • Laborer

      9%

    • Keeping House

      8%

    • Farm Laborer

      6%

    Census records can tell you a lot of little known facts about your Dover ancestors, such as occupation. Occupation can tell you about your ancestor's social and economic status.

    Dover Historical Records

    What Dover family records will you find?

    Census Record

    There are 55,000 census records available for the last name Dover. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dover census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

    Search 1940's US census records for Dover

    Passenger List

    There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Dover. 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 Dover immigration records

    Draft Card

    There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Dover. For the veterans among your Dover ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

    View all Dover military records

    You've only scratched the surface of Dover family history.

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    Dover Life Expectancy

    What is the average Dover lifespan?

    Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Dover life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Dover in 1945 was 35, and 69 in 2004.

    View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dover

    An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dover 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.

    Famous Dover Family Ancestors

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