Dowey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

Etymology of Dowey

What does the name Dowey mean?

The original Gaelic form of Dowey was Ó Dubhthaigh. The first portion of the name is the word "dubh," which means "black," while the second portion is likely an obsolete Irish forename. 1

The sept claim descent from the ancient Heremon Kings of Ireland. Through O'Conner Faley, Lords of Offaley (now Offaly), they descend from "Cahir Mor, King of Leinster in the beginning of the second century. He divided his great possessions amongst his thirty sons in a Will called 'The will of Cahir More,' contained in the 'Book of Leacan' and in the 'Book of Balymote.' His posterity formed the principal families in Leinster." 2 O'Duffy was listed as one of these such families.

Early Origins of the Dowey family

The surname Dowey was first found in Connacht (Irish: Connachta, (land of the) descendants of Conn), where they held a family seat from very ancient times, and were one of the many families descended from the great Kings of Ireland called the "Three Collas." Descending from the Clan Colla was Duffy, Lord of Fermanagh.

However, "there are several distinct septs of O'Duffy. One belongs to the parish of Lower Templecrone in the diocese of Raphoe, Co. Donegal, the patron saint of which is the seventh century Saint Dubhthach, or Duffy. The Connacht sept, the centre of whose territory was Lissonnuffy or Lissduffy near Strokestown, named after them, was remarkable for the number of distinguished ecclesiastics it produced." 3

Without a doubt, the oldest records of the family include: Muireadach Ó'Dubthaigh (Murdagh O'Duffy) (1075-1150), Archbishop of Tuam in the county of Connaught and Cadhla Ó'Dubthaigh, (Cele O'Duffy) Archbishop of Tuam, Ambassador to Henry II in 1175. 3

The Monaghan branch of the family were principally found in Attyduffy or Attyduff 2 and "modern statistics show that it is now most numerous name in Co. Monaghan." 1

Early History of the Dowey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dowey research. Another 266 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1075, 1150, 1175, 1501, 1527, 1615, 1671, 1675, 1809 and 1871 are included under the topic Early Dowey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dowey Spelling Variations

Just like the English language, the Gaelic language of Ireland was not standardized in the Middle Ages. Therefore, one's name was often recorded under several different spellings during the life of its bearer. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origins of the Dowey family name include Duffey, Duff, Duffy, O'Duffey, O'Duffy, Duffe, O'Duffe, Doey, Dohey, Doohey, O'Dowey and many more.

Early Notables of the Dowey family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was Father Eugene O'Duffy (c. 1527-1615), preacher and satirist on the apostate bishop Miler Magrath; The Most Reverend Patrick...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dowey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dowey migration to the United States +

Death and immigration greatly reduced Ireland's population in the 19th century. For the native Irish people poverty, hunger, and racial prejudice was common. Therefore, thousands left their homeland to seek opportunity in North America. Those who survived the journey and the quarantine camps to which they arrived, were instrumental towards building the strong developing nations of the United States and the future Canada. By far, the largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. These were employed as construction or factory workers. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has shown early immigrants bearing the name Dowey:

Dowey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Peter Dowey, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 4
Edward Dowey, who settled in Philadelphia in 1876 with his brother Patrick
Mr. Charles Dowey, (b. 1874), aged 19, Cornish labourer travelling aboard the ship "Alaska" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 1st May 1893 en route to New York, USA 5
W. J. Dowey, aged 53, who landed in America, in 1897

Dowey Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Thomas Dowey, aged 55, who landed in America from Hyde, Ireland, in 1909
Usher Dowey, aged 26, who settled in America from Belfast, Ireland, in 1910
Joseph Dowey, aged 26, who immigrated to America from Bristol, England, in 1913
Mary Dowey, aged 21, who landed in America from Kilkelly, Ireland, in 1913
Jennie Dowey, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States from Brighton, England, in 1920
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Dowey (post 1700) +

Ralph Dowey (1844-1909), English Northumberland born miner, songwriter and poet
Sharon Dowey (b. 1969), Scottish Conservative Party politician, Member of the Scottish Parliament for the South Scotland region since May 2021
Murray Albert Dowey (1926-2021), Canadian Olympic gold medalist ice hockey goaltender, nicknamed "Fast Hands"
John Dowey Bingham (1953-1986), prominent Northern Irish loyalist who led "D Company" (Ballysillan), 1st Battalion, Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)

Sources +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
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)
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)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf