Dowers History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Dowers reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Dowers family lived in Herefordshire. The family settled in Dore in that county, and it is from this location that their surname derives.

Early Origins of the Dowers family

The surname Dowers was first found in Herefordshire at Dore Abbey, a former Cistercian abbey in the village of Abbey Dore in the Golden Valley. The abbey was founded in 1147 by Robert fitzHarold of Ewyas, the Lord of Ewyas Harold, and derives it name from the River Dore, a Celtic river-name meaning "the waters." 1

"This parish derives its name from its situation on the river Dore, and from an abbey of White or Cistercian monks, founded here in the reign of Stephen, by Robert, son of Harold, Lord of Ewyas, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. Edmund." 2

Dore is also a village in South Yorkshire which is listed in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle c. 829 when King Egbert of Wessex led his army to the village to receive the submission of King Eanred of Northumbria. Some claim that Egbert became the first king of England at Dore. Today the "Dore Stone," located on the village green commemorates King Egbert's victory.

Early History of the Dowers family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dowers research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dowers History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dowers Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Dowers family name include Dore, Dorey, Dory, Dorie, Doar, Doare, Doore, Doorey, Doorie and many more.

Early Notables of the Dowers family

More information is included under the topic Early Dowers Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dowers family to Ireland

Some of the Dowers family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dowers migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Dowers family to immigrate North America:

Dowers Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Dowers, who landed in Virginia in 1699 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Dowers (post 1700) +

John Wayne "Johnny" Dowers (b. 1971), American actor, writer, and musician best known for his role as Detective Tim Cooper on FX's drama, The Bridge

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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)