DOWSE
Dowse is an English surname of geographical or locational origin. The name is recorded in the British Isles, specifically England, and has been associated with Christian communities since the early medieval period.
The etymology of the name is documented in several historical sources. One explanation, taken from medieval records and explained by the source in paragraph two, suggests that it is derived from the Old English word dus, meaning “dark” or “black”. This derivation implies that the original bearer of the name may have been nicknamed for a dark hair or complexion.
Another source provides an alternate derivation, indicating that Dowse may stem from the Medieval English word douce or dowse, itself borrowed from the Olde French dolz, later doux, meaning “sweet” or “pleasant”. Accordingly, the name has also been spelt as Douch or Douche in historical documents.
Records of the surname date back to the early thirteenth century. The earliest appearance in the public records is the 1296 Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, where individuals such as Gilbert le Dus and Godfrey le Douz are mentioned. A similar spelling is found in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where a Walter Dous or Douce is recorded.
A notable early example is the name of Hugo Duce of le Duz, dated 1200 in the “Cartulary of Oseney Abbey” in Oxfordshire. The document is dated to the reign of King John, also known as the Lackland, 1199-1216.
The surname continued to survive beyond England, as shown by the 1635 record of Robert Duce, aged 18, who sailed from London in the ship “Alexander” bound for the Barbadoses. Additionally, a baptism takes place in 1660 for Isaack, son of John and Frances Duce, in St. Bride, Fleet Street, London.
Today, individuals bearing the surname Dowse can be found in various English‑speaking countries. The name has persisted as a hereditary surname and remains part of the cultural record of English onomastics.
Typical given names associated with the Dowse surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Philip
- Richard
- William
Female
- Caroline
- Catherine
- Christine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Jean
- Joanna
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Samantha
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Douse
- Douce
- Dowson
- Dowsett
- Dowe
- Dove
- Doust
- Dow
- Dowst
- Dows
- Doose
- Dose
- Dos
- Does
- Dews
- Dewse
- Doosey
- Daas
- Dace
- Daci
- Dacie
- Dahse
- Daies
- Dais
- Daise
- Daisi
- Daisie
- Daiz
- Daize
- Das
- Dase
- Dasi
- Daso
- Dass
- Dassa
- Dasse
- Dassi
- Dassie
- Dasso
- Dassu
- Dasu
- Dauce
- Dauis
- Daus
- Dause
- Dausie
- Dauz
- Dawce
- Daws
- Dawse
- Dawsee
- Dawsie
- Days
- Daz
- Daza
- Daze
- Dazo
- Dazs
- Dazzi
- Deace
- Deas
- Dease
- Decie
- Decio
- Dees
- Deese
- Deias
- Deieso
- Deis
- Deiss
- Desai
- Desau
- Desio
- Dess
- Dessai
- Dessau
- Desse
- Dessi
- Dessie
- Desso
- Deuce
- Deus
- Deusi
- Deuss
- Dewys
- Dez
- Deza
- Deze
- Dezio
- Dezou
- Dezsi
- Dezso
- Dias
- Diaso
- Diaz
- Dice
- Dies
- Diesi
- Diess
- Diez
- Diocee
- Dios
- Diosee
- Diosi
- Dioso
- Dis
- Dise
- Disi
- Diss
- Dissi
- Disu
- Diz
- Diza
- Dizaei
- Dize
- Doas
- Doce
- Docea
- Doci
- Dohse
- Doouss
- Dosa
- Dosi
- Dosio
- Dosoo
- Doss
- Dossa
- Dosse
- Dossi
- Dossie
- Dosso
- Dossou
- Dosu
- Dous
- Dousey
- Dousie
- Douss
- Douz
- Douza
- Dowce
- Dowek
- Dowes
- Dowsell
- Dowsen
- Dowser
- Dowset
- Dowsey
- Dowsy
- Doyce
- Doz
- Doza
- Doze
- Dozie
- Dozo
- Dozsa
- Duce
- Ducie
- Dues
- Duez
- Duhs
- Duice
- Duis
- Dus
- Dusa
- Duse
- Duses
- Dusi
- Duss
- Dussa
- Dussie
- Dusu
- Dusza
- Duus
- Duys
- Duza
- Duze
- Dyce
- Dys
- Dyse
- Tace
- Tacea
- Taoussi
- Tas
- Tasa
- Tasci
- Tase
- Tasi
- Tasie
- Taso
- Tasou
- Tass
- Tassa
- Tasse
- Tassi
- Tassie
- Tasso
- Taus
- Tause
- Tausz
- Taws
- Tawse
- Tayce
- Tays
- Taz
- Taze
- Tazi
- Teace
- Teas
- Tease
- Teaz
- Teece
- Tees
- Teese
- Tes
- Tesa
- Tesei
- Tesi
- Tesio
- Teso
- Tess
- Tessa
- Tesse
- Tews
- Tez
- Tezza
- Tice
- Tiece
- Ties
- Tiesi
- Tiesse
- Tis
- Tisa
- Tise
- Tiseo
- Tisi
- Tiso
- Tisoe
- Tiss
- Tisseau
- Tisza
- Tius
- Toas
- Toase
- Toce
- Toci
- Toes
- Toews
- Tooes
- Toos
- Toose
- Toosi
- Toossi
- Tooze
- Tos
- Tosa
- Tose
- Tosi
- Tosio
- Toso
- Toss
- Tosse
- Tossi
- Tossou
- Tosu
- Tous
- Touse
- Tousi
- Toussi
- Touza
- Touze
- Touzeau
- Tows
- Towse
- Toys
- Toz
- Toze
- Tozza
- Tozzi
- Tozzo
- Tsa
- Tsai
- Tsao
- Tse
- Tseo
- Tseu
- Tsia
- Tso
- Tsoi
- Tsou
- Tsu
- Tsui
- Tuce
- Tues
- Tuozzo
- Tusa
- Tusi
- Tuso
- Tussie
- Tusz
- Tuz
- Tuza
- Tuzi
- Tuzio
- Tuzo
- Tuzza
- Tuzzeo
- Tuzzi
- Tuzzio
- Tyce
- Tys
- Tyse
- Tyso
- Tysoe
- Tysse
- Tytus
- Tze
- Whytes
- Wtts
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Dowse in...
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There are approximately 1,677 people named Dowse in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,895th most common surname in Britain. Around 26 in a million people in Britain are named Dowse.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Dowse
- John Dowse - Irish rugby union player (1891 to 1964)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.