| ![Show Contents]() Dowds History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Ireland The original Gaelic form of Dowds was Ó Dubhda. The first portion of the name comes from the word dubh, which means black or dark complexioned. 1 Early Origins of the Dowds familyThe surname Dowds was first found in County Mayo (Irish: Maigh Eo) located on the West coast of the Republic of Ireland in the province of Connacht. King Niall, brother of Fiachra and descended from Daithi, was one of the last pagan Kings of Ireland. For centuries they were the leading sept of northern Ui Fiachrach. Their territory comprised the baronies of Erris and Tirawley in the county of Mayo and Tireagh in Sligo. 2 They were the traditional Princes of Hy-Fiachra in Connaught. 1 Early History of the Dowds familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dowds research. Another 231 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1354, 1579, 1656, 1706, 1813 and 1891 are included under the topic Early Dowds History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Dowds Spelling VariationsThose scribes in Ireland during the Middle Ages recorded names as they sounded. Consequently, in this era many people were recorded under different spellings each time their name was written down. Research on the Dowds family name revealed numerous spelling variations, including Dowd, Duddy, Doody, O'Dowd, Dowdy, Dowdie, Doudy, Doudie, Doudd, Doodie and many more. Early Notables of the Dowds familyNotable amongst the family name at this time was Father John O'Duada (d. 1579) one of many Irish Franciscan martyrs when he was tortured and hanged in 1579; and Samuel Doody (1656-1706), an early English botanist...
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dowds Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Dowds migration to New Zealand | + |
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Dowds Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Miss Sarah Dowds, (b. 1859), aged Infant, Irish settler from County Down travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th November 1859 3
- Mr. John Dowds, (b. 1833), aged 26, Irish farm labourer from County Down travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th November 1859 3
- Mrs. Mary Ann Dowds, (b. 1835), aged 24, Irish settler from County Down travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th November 1859 3
| Contemporary Notables of the name Dowds (post 1700) | + |
- James Thomas Dowds (b. 1968), American former professional ice hockey player
- Robert Dowds (b. 1953), Irish Labour Party politician
- Philip Dowds (b. 1963), English professional football referee
- Peter Dowds (1867-1901), Scottish professional footballer
- O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
- MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
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Dowds migration to New Zealand 
