Adown History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the name Adown date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Adown family lived in an area that was described by a downward slope. The surname was originally derived from the Anglo-Saxon word dun which means a hill.

Early Origins of the Adown family

The surname Adown was first found in Sussex. Another branch was located at Roosdown in Devon. "This place, which was formerly a parish, was anciently called Ralphdown, from its owner, Ralph de Downe, in the reign of Henry II." 1

Early History of the Adown family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Adown research. Another 329 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1226, 1270, 1327, 1350, 1379, 1407, 1445, 1549, 1570, 1609, 1619, 1628, 1631, 1662, 1666, 1710, 1779, 1805, 1810 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Adown History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Adown Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Adown are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Adown include: Down, Downe, Downer, Doune, Douner, Dounner, Downner and many more.

Early Notables of the Adown family

Distinguished members of the family include Andrew Downes, also known as Dounaeus, (c. 1549-1628), English classical scholar, one of the seven translators of the Apocrypha for the King James Version of the Bible. John Downe (1570?-1631), was an English divine, son of John Downe, by his wife, Joan, daughter of John...
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Adown Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Adown family to Ireland

Some of the Adown family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Adown family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Adown or a variant listed above: Robert Downe arrived on St. Christopher Island, in the West Indies in 1635. John Downe crossed over in 1663 and landed in Virginia. Later he sailed south in 1685 to Barbados. Branches of the family later colonized the eastern seaboard..

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.