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![Show Contents]() Dowsoun History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The name Dowsoun is tied to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England. It comes from the personal names Douce and Dow. This patronymic name is augmented by the suffix -son, which superseded the other patronymic suffixes in prominence by the 14th century, and was most common in the north of England. Early Origins of the Dowsoun familyThe surname Dowsoun was first found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 which included: Jordan Dousing, Lincolnshire; and Richard Dusing, Norfolk. Later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Johannes Dousyng as holding lands there at that time. 1 Early History of the Dowsoun familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dowsoun research. Another 176 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1320, 1327, 1349, 1379, 1573, 1596, 1643 and 1668 are included under the topic Early Dowsoun History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Dowsoun Spelling VariationsOnly recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Dowsoun has undergone many spelling variations, including Dowson, Douson, Doweson, Dowsoun, Douseson, Douceson and many more. Early Notables of the Dowsoun familyNotables of this surname at this time include: William Dowsing (1596-1668) was an English iconoclast under orders in 1643 which stated that "all Monuments of Superstition and Idolatry should be removed and abolished", specifying: "fixed altars, altar rails, chancel...
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dowsoun Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Dowsoun familyTo escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Dowsoun were among those contributors: Gilbert Dowson who settled in Virginia in 1637; George Dowson settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1774; Martha Down settled in America in 1763; R.H. Dowson settled in Maryland in 1820.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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