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| Numbers of Births, Marriages and Deaths from 1864 |
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There seems to be a correlation between an increase in births and a decrease deaths and 1873 shows a quite dramatic decrease in births accompanied by an increase in deaths. I do not know how this occurs other than to surmise that following 'good' years children are born and the old are more likely to live on. This begs the question: what happened in 1872/3 to cause the reduction in births and greater mortality. About half of Dowlings marry. This seems to help maintain a fairly steady trend in population over the sample period. The deaths will always be below the current birth figures as they more accurately reflect the numbers of those born 60 or 70 years prior to the date of death. There is a significant trend in reduced births towards the end of the century, this would appear to be because of the emigration of parents in the 1750s-1760s. Please note that the figures for 1892 births contain a partial estimate as the quarter ending September is missing from the microfilm from which I have transcribed the names.
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Over a large sample there is no significantly greater chance of a boy or a girl in a Dowling family. |
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1860's
1870's
1 John John 2 Patrick Patrick 3 Michael James 4 James Michael 5 Thomas Thomas 6 William William 7 (male) Edward 8 Joseph (male) 9 Edward Joseph 10 Richard Richard
1860's
1870's
1 Mary Mary 2 Bridget Margaret 3 Catherine Bridget 4 Margaret Catherine 5 Ellen Ellen 6 Ann Anne 7 (female) Mary Anne 8 Eliza Elizabeth 9 Mary Anne Johanna 10 Johanna Eliza
The names shown (male) and (female) refer to entries where, in all probability, the infant died at birth. It is significant that they are numerous enough to get in the top ten and that the position is the same in either gender in the 1860's. In the 1870's (female) goes down to number eleven but boys are still more likely to die at birth. It is unlikely that they were left unnamed for any other reason particularly as there is a ready made "Naming System" to follow!
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