Find out how popular the last name Downes is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Downes.

Downes, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Downes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Downes in America

Downes is the 5806th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Downes surname appeared 5,956 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Downes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Downes to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Downes

The surname Downes has its origins in England, emerging during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "dun" and "dune," meaning "hill" or "down," referring to individuals who resided near or on a hill. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "de Duna."

The name was initially concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Hampshire, where many early bearers of the surname were landowners or farmers living in areas with hilly or undulating terrain. Over time, the spelling evolved to include variations such as Doun, Doune, and Downe, before settling on the modern form of Downes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1198, which mentions a Richard de Duna. In the 13th century, a John de Doun is documented in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272, indicating the name's spread across various regions of England.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Downes include Sir John Downes (1572-1631), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament for Arundel during the reign of King James I. In the realm of literature, Andrew Downes (1550-1628) was a noted English poet and translator, best known for his translation of the works of the Roman poet Ovid.

In the 18th century, John Downes (1677-1712) was a prominent English dramatist and author, known for his work "Roscius Anglicanus," a historical account of English actors and actresses of his time. Another notable figure was Thomas Downes (1781-1853), an English naturalist and botanist who contributed significantly to the study of plant life in the West Indies.

During the 19th century, John Downes (1820-1883) was a distinguished English architect and surveyor, responsible for the design of several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the surname Downes, highlighting its longstanding presence and significance within English society across various fields and professions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Downes

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Downes.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Downes was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Downes has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Downes was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Downes, please contact us.

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