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Dow Family History

Dow Name Meaning

Scottish (also found in Ireland): reduced form of McDow. This surname is borne by a sept of the Buchanans. English: variant of Daw. Americanized spelling of Dutch Douw, an Old Frisian personal name. Americanized spelling of German Dau.

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


Similar surnames: Bow, Low, Dowd, Don, Down, Daw, Mow, Dom, Doe, Dowe

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 Dow family from?

You can see how Dow families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dow family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dow families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 303 Dow families living in London. This was about 31% of all the recorded Dow's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Dow families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dow 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 Dow ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Dow. 7% of Dow men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Dow women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dow were Carpenter and Household Duties. .

View Census Data for Dow | 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 1939

  • General Labourer
    7%
  • Plumber
    6%
  • Bank Clerk
    6%
  • Carpenter
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Household Duties
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Dow family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 168,000 census records available for the last name Dow. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dow census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Australian census records for Dow

Passenger Lists

There are 117,000 immigration records available for the last name Dow. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Australia, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Dow immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 38,000 military records available for the last name Dow. For the veterans among your Dow ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Dow family history

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What is the average Dow lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Dow life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Dow in 1940 was 35, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dow

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