Show ContentsTowns History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Towns family

The surname Towns was first found in Linlithgowshire (Gaelic: Lodainn an Iar), former county in south-central Scotland, now the Council Area West Lothian, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

Early History of the Towns family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Towns research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1339, 1423, 1531 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Towns History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Towns Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Towne, Town, Towns, Townes and others.

Early Notables of the Towns family

More information is included under the topic Early Towns Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Towns Ranking

In the United States, the name Towns is the 3,580th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1


United States Towns migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Towns Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John Towns, who landed in Virginia in 1719 2
Towns Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • David Towns, who arrived in Texas in 1835 2
  • M Towns, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
  • Alexander Towns, aged 25, who landed in America from Aberdeen, in 1892
  • Wm. F.M. Towns, aged 24, who immigrated to the United States, in 1895
Towns Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Walter F. Towns, aged 48, who settled in America, in 1900
  • Charles Towns, aged 26, who immigrated to the United States from Glasgow, in 1905
  • James Towns, aged 50, who landed in America from Levenshuline, England, in 1907
  • Jane S Towns, aged 60, who settled in America from Dundee, Scotland, in 1907
  • Sarah Ann Towns, aged 52, who immigrated to the United States from Levenshuline, England, in 1907
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Towns migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Towns Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Towns, English labourer who was convicted in Suffolk, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" in May 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 3
  • Mr. William Towns, English convict who was convicted in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the ""Blenheim"" on 24th July 1850, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) and Norfolk Island, Australia 4
  • Miss Elizabeth Towns, English convict who was convicted in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Duchess of Northumberland" on 25th November 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Towns (post 1700) +

  • Morris Towns (b. 1954), former American NFL football offensive tackle
  • Lester Towns (b. 1977), former American NFL football linebacker
  • George Washington Bonaparte Towns (1801-1854), American lawyer, legislator, and politician, 39th Governor of Georgia from 1847 to 1851
  • Forrest Grady "Spec" Towns (1914-1991), American gold medalist track and field athlete at the 1936 Olympic Games
  • Edolphus Towns (b. 1934), American politician, member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York
  • Darryl Towns (b. 1961), American politician, member of New York State Legislature
  • Charles B. Towns (1862-1947), American expert on alcoholism and drug addiction who helped draft drug control legislation
  • William "Bill" Towns (1936-1993), British car designer
  • Tom Towns (b. 1953), former Canadian Football League linebacker from Rosetown, Saskatchewan
  • Simon Towns (b. 1972), New Zealand silver medalist field hockey player at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
  • ... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 1st March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blenheim
  5. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duchess-of-northumberland


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