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Dowds Family History

Dowds Name Meaning

Northern Irish: variant of Dowd 1, with the addition of English patronymic -s.

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


Similar surnames: Douds, Dowdy, Dowd, Dowda, Downs, Dodds, Dods, Dowdey, Dowey, Gowdy

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 Dowds family from?

You can see how Dowds families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dowds family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dowds families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 4 Dowds families living in Ohio. This was about 80% of all the recorded Dowds's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Dowds families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dowds surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Dowds ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Servant were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Dowds. 33% of Dowds men worked as a Laborer and 20% of Dowds women worked as a Servant. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dowds were Truck Driver and Operator. .

View Census Data for Dowds | 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
    33%
  • Farmer
    30%
  • Porter
    10%
  • Truck Driver
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Servant
    20%
  • Machine Operator
    20%
  • New Worker
    20%
  • Operator
    20%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Dowds family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Dowds. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dowds census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Dowds

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Dowds. For the veterans among your Dowds ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dowds military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dowds family history

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What is the average Dowds lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Dowds life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1970, and highest in 1972. The average life expectancy for Dowds in 1956 was 50, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dowds

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