Doune History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The history of the Doune family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living 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 Doune family

The surname Doune 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 Doune family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Doune 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 Doune History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Doune Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Doune include Down, Downe, Downer, Doune, Douner, Dounner, Downner and many more.

Early Notables of the Doune 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 Doune Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Doune family to Ireland

Some of the Doune 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.

Doune migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Doune or a variant listed above:

Doune Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Doune, (Donn), aged 25, who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Defence" 2
Clement Doune, who arrived in Virginia in 1639 3

Doune Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

William Doune, who landed in Virginia in 1700 3

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
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)