Hello Nigel I'd put my money on it being a variant of Driscoll. Try pronouncing Driscoll and Driscoo in your best attempt at an Irish accent, and you'll see they sound much the same. My Dowling ancestors variously spelt the name Dooling, Doolin, Doolan, Doolen, Doolon, Dooley, Dowley and Dowlan. Most of those spellings are still current in the part of Tipperary where they came from, and all are pronounced as Doolen. Cheers Mick Dowling Melbourne