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Downes Family History

Downes Name Meaning

English (Shropshire and Staffordshire): variant of Down with plural or post-medieval excrescent -s. Irish (counties Clare and Limerick): shortened Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Dubháin (see Doane ).

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


Similar surnames: Downey, Downer, Dooner, Downs, Bowes, Doyne, Ownes, Bownes, Downen

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 Downes family from?

You can see how Downes families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Downes family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Downes families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 618 Downes families living in London. This was about 15% of all the recorded Downes's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Downes families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Downes 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 Downes 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 Downes. 9% of Downes men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Downes women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Downes were Farmer and Domestic Servant. .

View Census Data for Downes | 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
    9%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Bricklayer
    4%
  • Farmer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Downes family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 125,000 census records available for the last name Downes. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Downes census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Australian census records for Downes

Passenger Lists

There are 18,000 immigration records available for the last name Downes. 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 Downes immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 13,000 military records available for the last name Downes. For the veterans among your Downes ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Downes military records

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What is the average Downes lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Downes life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Downes in 1952 was 40, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Downes

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