Explore the Family Name Dowland
The meaning of Dowland
1. English (Dorset): occasionally a habitational name from Dowland in Devon, possibly named from Old English dūfe ‘dove’ + land ‘open country’. The name is pronounced with the first element rhyming with owl, but it may have been confused with and absorbed by Dolling, also a Devon name (see Dollins). More often the name is a variant of Dolling (see Dollins), with shortening of -ing to /ən/, as in Dowlen, to which excrescent -d was added at will. 2. Irish: probably a variant of Dowlin or Dolan.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Dowland in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Dowland has seen a rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Dowland was ranked at 46,331, but by 2010, it had climbed to a rank of 43,885 - a positive change of 5.28%. The count, or the number of people with the Dowland surname, also increased during this period from 433 to 491, marking a substantial uptick of 13.39%. Consequently, the proportion of individuals named Dowland per 100k people also saw an increase from 0.16 to 0.17.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #46,331 | #43,885 | 5.28% |
| Count | 433 | 491 | 13.39% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.16 | 0.17 | 6.25% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Dowland
When examining the ethnic identity associated with the Dowland surname, based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, we find a few noticeable changes between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of Dowland bearers identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander went from 0 in 2000 to 1.02 in 2010. Those reporting two or more races increased from 1.15% to 1.83%, representing a substantial change of 59.13%. Meanwhile, those identifying as White remained largely stable at around 94%, albeit with a slight decrease of 0.33%. Hispanic representation among those with the Dowland surname showed a little growth from 2.31% to 2.44%. However, the percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Native identifiers dropped from 1.62% in 2000 to none reported in 2010. There were no Black individuals reported under this surname in either census year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94% | 93.69% | -0.33% |
| Hispanic | 2.31% | 2.44% | 5.63% |
| Two or More Races | 1.15% | 1.83% | 59.13% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 1.02% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.62% | 0% | 0% |