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Dowdell History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Dowdell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
England

Ireland already had an established system of hereditary surnames when the Strongbownians arrived. Often the two traditions blended together quite well due to some of their basic similarities, but the incoming Anglo-Norman system brought in some forms that were uncommon amongst the Irish. One of these Anglo-Norman anomalies was the prevalence of local surnames, such as Dowdell.

The local surnames of these Strongbownian invaders referred to places in Normandy, or more typically England, but eventually for those Anglo-Normans that remained in Ireland, the nicknames referred to places or geographical features of the island: they became true local names. The Dowdell family appears to have originally lived in a place called Dovedale or Dowdale in Yorkshire. 1

Another source claims the name was originally from D'Ovesdale Manor in Litlington, Cheshire. 2

The surname Dowdell belongs to the large category of Anglo-Norman habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. The Gaelic form of the Dowdell surname is Dubhdal, this is one of the few instances where the element dubh is not derived from the adjective which means black.

Alternatively, the name Dowdale could mean "valley frequented by doves." 3

Early Origins of the Dowdell family

The surname Dowdell was first found in Yorkshire, at Dowdale where the first records of the family appear in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379: Johannes de Dowedale; Willelmus de Dowedale; and Willelmus Doudale who all held lands there at that time. 1 Adam Dowedall was listed in Yorkshire in 1401. 2

In Cheshire, John de Uvedale alias de Ovedale was listed her in the Feet of Fines for 1304; Peter Douedale was listed in 1336; and Hugh de Uuedale in the 13th century. 2

The introduction to Ireland where the name is most popular, dates back to Strongbow's invasion of Ireland and was "prominent in the Pale since the Anglo-Norman invasion." 4 The Irish Dowdalls may have come from Dovedale in Derbyshire, England and settled in County Louth in the thirteenth century. Some of the most famous of the early immigrants are: Sir Robert Dowdall (died 1482), an Irish judge who held the office of Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas for more than forty years; his son, Thomas Dowdall, also spelt Dowdale, Douedall, or Dowedall, (died c. 1492) , an Irish barrister and judge who held the office of Master of the Rolls in Ireland; George Dowdall (1487-1558), an Irish cleric who was twice Archbishop of Armagh; James Dowdall (died 1600) was a Roman Catholic merchant and martyr from Drogheda, Ireland; and his cousin, Sir James Dowdall (died 1584), an Irish judge who briefly held office as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland.

Early History of the Dowdell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dowdell research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1482, 1487, 1558, 1584, 1600, 1641 and 1658 are included under the topic Early Dowdell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dowdell Spelling Variations

Church officials and medieval scribes spelled names as they sounded; therefore, single person, could have his name spelt many different ways during their lifetime. While investigating the origins of the name Dowdell, many spelling variations were encountered, including: Dowdall, Dovedale, Dowdale, Dowdell, Dowdle and others.

Early Notables of the Dowdell family

Notable amongst the family up to this time was Sir Robert Dowdall (died 1482), an Irish judge who held the office of Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas; Christopher Dowdall of Castle Dowdall; Sir William Dowdall of Kilfinny, County Limerick; James Dowdall (d. 1600)...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dowdell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dowdell Ranking

In the United States, the name Dowdell is the 4,878^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 5

Dowdell migration to the United States +

Ireland's Great Potato Famine left the country's inhabitants in extreme poverty and starvation. Many families left their homeland for North America for the promise of work, freedom and land ownership. Although the Irish were not free of economic and racial discrimination in North America, they did contribute greatly to the rapid development of bridges, canals, roads, and railways. Eventually, they would be accepted in other areas such as commerce, education, and the arts. An examination of immigration and passenger lists revealed many bearing the name Dowdell:

Dowdell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

William Dowdell, who landed in America in 1760-1763 6
William Dowdell who settled in New England in 1761

Dowdell Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Kate Dowdell, aged 23, who settled in America from Williamstown, Ireland, in 1907
Mary Dowdell, aged 58, who immigrated to the United States from Williamstown, Ireland, in 1907
John Dowdell, aged 30, who immigrated to the United States from Glasgow, Scotland, in 1909
Cathenne Dowdell, aged 46, who landed in America from Ireland, in 1911
Elizabeth Dowdell, aged 27, who immigrated to America from Ireland, in 1911
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Dowdell (post 1700) +

Robert Dowdell (1932-2018), American actor from Park Ridge, Illinois, best known for his role as Lieutenant Commander Chip Morton in the television series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Rel Dowdell, American screenwriter, film director, film producer, and screenwriting educator
James Render Dowdell (1847-1921), American jurist, the 20th Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court (1909 to 1914)
Zabian Dowdell (b. 1984), American professional basketball player
Jeffery Dowdell (b. 1987), Australian basketball player
Ben Dowdell (b. 1988), Australian rules footballer
James Ferguson Dowdell (1818-1871), American academic, the second President of the East Alabama College

Historic Events for the Dowdell family +

HMS Hood

Mr. William F S Dowdell (b. 1908), English Leading Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Gosport, Hampshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 7

RMS Titanic

Miss Elizabeth Dowdell, aged 31, American Third Class passenger from New York City, New York who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived in the sinking in life boat 13 8

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
MacLysaght, Edward, More Irish Families. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-0126-0)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html