The Downer surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 5,277 people carried this name — #6,436 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 55,900 people counted. That is up 20% from 4,393 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Downer surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘the downer’.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 251 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

35 Downer families were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 207 people lived in those households, 5.9 to a family on average. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Vermont 12
Massachusetts 6
Connecticut 4
New Hampshire 3
Pennsylvania 3
Rhode Island 2
South Carolina 2
New York 1
Virginia 1
North Carolina 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 238 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Downer in American newspapers,
1891–1911.

Newspaper page from Rock Island Argus carrying the name Downer
Rock Island Argus 1911-09-09
Newspaper page from Omaha Daily Bee carrying the name Downer
Omaha Daily Bee 1893-05-23
Newspaper page from Rock Island Daily Argus carrying the name Downer
Rock Island Daily Argus 1891-02-14

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,467 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Downer in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

49,970 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Downer. The most, 13,292, date from the 1880s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 4.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 36,848
Victoria 3,828
Queensland 2,694
New South Wales 2,571
ACT (Canberra) 1,768
Western Australia 1,315
Tasmania 831
Northern Territory 62

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Downer.

Who carried it

People named Downer,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Francis Elisha Downer
    Francis Elisha Downer 1832–1891 · politician
  • Henry Edward Downer
    Henry Edward Downer 1836–1905 · politician
  • John Harry Downer d. 1944
  • Anne Whitehead 1624–1686 · writer
  • Pierce Downer 1781–1863 · pioneer
  • Samuel Downer 1801–1881 · manufacturer

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Downer,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States502 records

502 records of the Downer name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 163
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 112
  • Other U.S. records 227
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Edmund J. Downer

    Born 1898 in Michigan. Enlisted 1942 at Kalamazoo; bartender from Kent County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1950, buried at Grandville Cemetery, Michigan.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Iwan Downer

    Arrived at New York in 1895 aboard the Phoenicia from Hamburg, aged 36; laborer. From Russia; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. A U.S. Army record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864
    Example: U.S. burial record, 1864
    Burial record John William Downer

    U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War. Born 1946, died 1996; buried at Union Hill Cemetery, Fort Payne, Alabama.

    U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)

Showing 3 of 502 records for Downer in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864, U.S. National Archives (public domain).

Australia335 records

335 records of the Downer name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 159
  • Tasmanian Names Index 105
  • Other Australian records 71
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Charles Downer

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Manlius, sailing from London in 1830. Native of Watford, Hertfordshire.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Ada Downer

    Arrived in Victoria in 1886 aboard the Ivanhoe, aged 5; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Henry B. Downer

    Gentleman of Malvern, Victoria; died 1948.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 335 records for Downer in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Netherlands33 records

33 records of the Downer name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 19
  • Dutch population registers 14
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Johan William Pierre Downer

    Married in 1917 in Apeldoorn; "fruitkweeker". Died 1948 in Apeldoorn, aged 66.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Christine Downer

    Born 1848 in Groningen. Married in 1880 in Groningen.

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Johanna Clasina Downer

    Died 1932 in Zeist, aged 30.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 33 records for Downer in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada19 records

19 records of the Downer name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 10
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 5
  • Other Canadian records 4
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Phillip Budd Downer

    Died 1939 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record George William Downer

    Died 1911; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Michael Downer

    Died in service in 1944.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 19 records for Downer in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom13 records

13 records of the Downer name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 11
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Downer

    Buried in 1792 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 53.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record F. Downer

    Labour Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record E. C. Downer

    Hampshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Downer in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Downer name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Patrick Carrol Downer

    Died 2000, aged 80; buried at Lyttelton Rsa Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Downer in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France2 records

2 records of the Downer name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record France Downer

    Born 1914 in Cherbourg; died 1988 in Saint-Lô (Manche).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Lilian Ada Downer

    Born 1913 in Great Britain; died 1998 in Vanxains (Dordogne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Germany1 record

1 record of the Downer name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list August Downer

    From Bzurren, Johannisburg. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 18 September 1915 (Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 6).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Downer.

When the index is not enough

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