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

Downs, 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 Downs surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Downs in America

Downs is the 1025th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Downs surname appeared 33,922 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 12 people would have the surname Downs.

We can also compare 2010 data for Downs 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 Downs

The surname Downs originated in England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "dun," which means a hill or a down, referring to someone who lived near or on a hill or down. The name is topographic in origin, meaning it describes the physical features of the area where the first bearers of the name lived.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various medieval records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Sussex and the Hundred Rolls of Berkshire, dating back to the late 12th and early 13th centuries. These records mention individuals with the surname Downs or similar spellings like "de la Dune" or "atte Dune."

One notable historical reference is the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions several places with the prefix "Dun," indicating the presence of hills or downs in those areas. However, the surname Downs itself is not explicitly mentioned in the Domesday Book.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, where it is spelled "Doun" or "Doune." This period also saw the emergence of place names like Downshill and Downshire, which may have influenced the spelling and usage of the surname.

Some notable individuals with the surname Downs throughout history include:

1. John Downs (c. 1611-1666), an English clergyman and scholar who wrote several works on geography and astronomy.
2. Thomas Downs (1770-1831), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was involved in the Battle of Trafalgar.
3. Andrew Downs (1811-1892), an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Georgia.
4. Hugh Downs (1921-2020), an American broadcaster and TV personality best known for his work on programs like "20/20" and "The Today Show."
5. Solomon Downs (1786-1854), an American Quaker minister and abolitionist who campaigned against slavery and assisted in the Underground Railroad.

The surname Downs has been present in various regions of England, particularly in the southern counties like Sussex, Surrey, and Kent, where the topographic features of hills and downs are more prevalent. Over time, it has spread to other parts of the world through migration and continues to be a widely recognized surname today.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Downs

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

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 Downs 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 Downs 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 Downs was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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