The Downs surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 33,922 people carried this name — #1,025 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 8,700 people counted. That is up 1% from 33,494 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Downs surname

As an English and Welsh surname

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

An early record he cites: Gilbert de la Donne, Essex, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Downe, Downes, Down and Downs.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 250 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Downs was found among the farmers of 5 counties.

It was most frequent in Shropshire: 33 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 303. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent. His list gives one count for the spellings Downs and Downes.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Shropshire 33
Cheshire 12
Staffordshire 12
Yorkshire, West Riding 9
Derbyshire 7

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland’s registers today

Downs was recorded 15 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1427th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 25. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

178 families named Downs, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 921 people lived in those households, 5.2 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 4 other spellings. 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

Connecticut 45
Maryland 33
Maine 25
Massachusetts 24
North Carolina 11
New Hampshire 10
New York 10
South Carolina 9
Pennsylvania 8
Vermont 2
Virginia 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

Downs in American newspapers,
1851–1904.

Newspaper page from The Portland Daily Press carrying the name Downs
The Portland Daily Press 1899-11-25
Newspaper page from New Hampshire Farmer And Weekly Union carrying the name Downs
New Hampshire Farmer And Weekly Union 1904-06-01
Newspaper page from The Planters' Banner carrying the name Downs
The Planters' Banner 1851-09-27

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 8,969 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Downs in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

29,986 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Downs. The most, 5,300, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Queensland, at 1.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 8,831
New South Wales 8,582
Victoria 5,959
South Australia 4,716
Western Australia 1,124
Tasmania 596
ACT (Canberra) 115
Northern Territory 7

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

Who carried it

People named Downs,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Ephraim Downs
    Ephraim Downs 1787–1860 · miller
  • Solomon W. Downs
    Solomon W. Downs 1801–1854 · politician
  • Charlie Downs d. 2008 · animator
  • Gertrude May Downs d. 1985
  • Andrew Downs 1811–1892 · naturalist
  • Annie S. Downs 1836–1901 · botanist

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 9 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Downs,
in the records of 7 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 States3,606 records

3,606 records of the Downs name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,179
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 791
  • Other U.S. records 1,636
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Matthew R. Downs

    Born 1931; from New York, New York. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; killed in action 1952 in North Korea. Buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Cecil M. Downs

    Born 1922 in Alabama. Enlisted 1942 at Fort McClellan; farmer from Marshall County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1991, buried at Chattanooga National Cemetery, Tennessee.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Teutonic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 18; nurse. From Liverpool, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 3,606 records for Downs 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, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia772 records

772 records of the Downs name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 338
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 164
  • Other Australian records 270
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Mary Ann Downs

    Born 1847 in Campbell Town, Tasmania. Married 1863 in Port Sorell, Tasmania, aged 17.

    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 Robert Downs

    Arrived in Victoria in 1857 aboard the True Briton, aged 41; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. 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 James Downs

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Hindostan, arriving 1821; certificate of freedom 1828.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 772 records for Downs in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

Canada81 records

81 records of the Downs name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 43
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 15
  • Other Canadian records 23
  1. 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 William Downs

    Served in the No. 2 Construction Battalion in the First World War, private; of St John, Barbados, British West Indies.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Wm Downs

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the Moravian, landing at Portland, bound for Barrie, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record John E. Downs

    Buried in 1923 at Union Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 42.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 81 records for Downs in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom53 records

53 records of the Downs name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 38
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 11
  • Other British records 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Joseph Downs

    Died 1909, aged 69; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Emma Downs

    Buried in 1825 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 41.

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

    South Wales Borderers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 53 records for Downs 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. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). 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 Zealand12 records

12 records of the Downs name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 10
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Herbert Downs

    Died 1958, aged 78; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Sarah Ann Downs

    Buried in 1902 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 63.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record David Downs

    Died 1997, aged 72; buried at Lyttelton Anglican Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Downs in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District 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 Downs 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 Kenneth Thornton Downs

    Born 1909 in the United States; died 1991 in Larochemillay (Nièvre).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Timothy William Sydney Downs

    Born 1936 in Great Britain; died 2000 in Landrecourt-Lempire (Meuse).

    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).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the Downs name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 1
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record James Alexander Downs

    Married in 1946 in Bunschoten.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Joseph Edwin Downs

    In a population register.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

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); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Downs.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Downs.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Downs is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Downs volume
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