The Dowd surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 13,590 people carried this name — #2,651 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 21,700 people counted. That is up 2% from 13,279 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Dowd surname

Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó Dubhda (“descendant of Dubhda”), a byname derived from dubh (“black”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Dowd» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 84 births for the Dowd name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Connacht. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 3,700 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 20 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Connacht 35
Leinster 18
Ulster 16
Munster 15

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 57 people named Dowd live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 41
Santa Fe 16

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

In 1790, Dowd was counted together with Doud: 51 families in all.

Each family is counted by its head. About 267 people lived in those households, 5.2 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: Doud, Dowd, Dowds. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Connecticut 23
Vermont 8
Massachusetts 8
North Carolina 7
Rhode Island 2
New York 2
Maryland 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 237 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Dowd in American newspapers,
1900–1920.

Newspaper page from The Bourbon News carrying the name Dowd
The Bourbon News 1900-06-08
Newspaper page from The Climax-madisonian carrying the name Dowd
The Climax-madisonian 1915-04-14
Newspaper page from The Herald And News carrying the name Dowd
The Herald And News 1920-07-16

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 92,494 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Dowd in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

25,223 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Dowd. The most, 4,694, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 9,831
Victoria 6,048
South Australia 3,853
Queensland 3,457
Western Australia 1,152
ACT (Canberra) 400
Tasmania 400
Northern Territory 37

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Dowd.

Who carried it

People named Dowd,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Charles F. Dowd
    Charles F. Dowd 1825–1904
  • Freeman B. Dowd
    Freeman B. Dowd 1828–1910 · photographer
  • Alice Mary Dowd
    Alice Mary Dowd 1855–1943 · naturalist
  • James Joseph Dowd
    James Joseph Dowd 1857–1916 · politician
  • Thomas Dowd
    Thomas Dowd 1864– · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 106 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Dowd,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States4,820 records

4,820 records of the Dowd name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 1,938
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 1,187
  • Other U.S. records 1,695
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record George A. Dowd

    Born 1896 in New York. Enlisted 1940 at Paterson, New Jersey; stock clerk from Bergen County, New Jersey. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1959, buried at Bath National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Kate Dowd

    Arrived at New York in 1884 aboard the Queen from London and Plymouth, aged 16; servant. From London, England; bound for New Hampshire.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record William David Dowd

    Born 1946; from Richland, Washington. U.S. Army, armor crewman; died in an accident 1968 in Tay Ninh, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 4,820 records for Dowd in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia643 records

643 records of the Dowd name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 275
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 128
  • Other Australian records 240
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Thomas Dowd

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Earl St Vincent, arriving 1823; ticket of leave 1833. Native of Sligo Co.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Dowd

    Arrived in Victoria in 1887 aboard the Iberia, aged 23; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Bartholomew Dowd

    Farmer of Colbinabbin, Victoria; died 1934.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 643 records for Dowd in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada59 records

59 records of the Dowd name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 43
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 6
  • Other Canadian records 10
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Ed Dowd

    Came to Ontario in 1877, bound for Sarnia, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Gerald J. Dowd

    Died 1909 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Florence May Dowd

    Died 1988; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.

Showing 3 of 59 records for Dowd in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Ireland22 records

22 records of the Dowd name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record James Dowd

    Died 1947, aged 57; buried at Clonburn, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Bridget Dowd

    Died 1987, aged 77; buried at Moylough, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Dowd

    Died 1986, aged 77; buried at Clontuskert, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 22 records for Dowd in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom12 records

12 records of the Dowd name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Dowd

    Cheshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record T. Dowd

    Welsh Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record P. Dowd

    Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Dowd in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand7 records

7 records of the Dowd name in New Zealand
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 3
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 2
  • Other New Zealand records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Norah Theresa Dowd

    Died 1937, aged 82; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edward Dowd

    Died 1918, aged 100; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record J. Dowd

    Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Dowd in New Zealand.

Counts: Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

France1 record

1 record of the Dowd name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Yvonne Jeanne Dowd

    Born 1895 in Paris; died 1979 in Breuil-le-Sec (Oise).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Dowd.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Dowd is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Dowd volume
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