Show ContentsDownard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Downard Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Downard

What does the name Downard mean?

The Downard surname is a habitational name, taken on from Downhead in Somerset, or Donhead in Wiltshire. These place names both derived from the Old English words "dun," meaning "hill," and "he-afod," meaning the geographic "head" of land. There was also a place named Dunnet in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland. It is within the Parish of Dunnet.

Early Origins of the Downard family

The surname Downard was first found in Wiltshire. Originally from Normandy, the name was originally spelt Dannet, for De Anet or D'Alneto. D'Alnai is mentioned at the Battle of Hastings 1 as 'Sire d'Alnai.' 2

To the north in Scotland, the name is of local origin from Dunnet in Caithness. 3 The local pronunciation is "Dinnet. Sir Gilbert Dynnocht was vicar of Arndurnes (Durness) before 1541, as Sir Gilbert Dunnat, vicar of Ra, is recorded as deceased in 1550. Master John Donat or Dunnat appears as rector of Cannesbe (Canisbay) in 1577 and 1581. Mergaret Dinit appears in Snawburgh, 1648 (Shetlard), and Katharine Donnat in Holand-Mey appears in 1663 (Caithness). Matthew Dunnett and George Dunnett in Gilles, Caithness, to be apprehended as rebels, 1670. Dunet was registered in 1700, " 4

Early History of the Downard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Downard research. Another 278 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1246, 1296, 1500, 1577, 1648 and 1663 are included under the topic Early Downard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Downard Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Downard has undergone many spelling variations, including Dunnett, Dunnet, Donnatt, Donnat, Downett, Downatt, Dunett, Dunet, Donnett and many more.

Early Notables of the Downard family

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

Downard Ranking

the United States, the name Downard is the 14,648th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Downard migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Downard Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Robert Downard, Australian settler travelling from Hobart, Tasmania, Australia aboard the ship "Bee" arriving in New Zealand in 1832 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Downard (post 1700) +

  • Patrick Kelly Downard, American politician, Republican Councilman for the 16th District of Louisville Metro in Kentucky
  • Patrick Kelly Downard (b. 1946), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Kentucky, 2004; Candidate for Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, 2006 7
  • John W. Downard, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Kentucky, 1904 8
  • Kevin Downard, Australian academic scientist, Associate Professor in the School of Molecular Bioscience at the University of Sydney
  1. Wace, Robert, Roman de Brut England: 1155. Digital
  2. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  3. Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
  4. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  7. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 25) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html

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