Downs

Downs
This name, with variant spellings Down, Downe and Downes, derives from the Old English pre 7th Century 'dun' meaning a sloping declivity or tract of low hills, and was originally given as a topographic name to one who lived by either of these natural features. The surname is first recorded in the latter half of the 12th Century, (see below). Variant forms of the name 'de la Donne', 'de la Don' and 'atte Doune' appear in the Hundred Rolls of Devon and Somerset, dated 1273. A Reginald del Downes appears in the records of East Cheshire under the date 1407. The final '(e)s' on the name preserves the Old English genitive i.e., 'of the Down'. On June 11th 1674 Emme Downs and William Hickson were married in St. Katherine by the Tower, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas de la Duna, which was dated circa, 1170 - 'Studies on Middle English Local Surnames' by Lafvenberg', during the reign of King Henry 11, 'The Builder of Churches', 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • Downs — or The Downs may refer to: Contents 1 Places 2 Health 3 Surname 4 …   Wikipedia

  • Downs — (dounz) Two roughly parallel ranges of chalk hills in southeast England. The North Downs extend about 161 km (100 mi) from west to east; the South Downs, about 105 km (65 mi). Both are sheep rearing areas. * * * the general name for a number of… …   Universalium

  • Downs — Downs, IL U.S. village in Illinois Population (2000): 776 Housing Units (2000): 301 Land area (2000): 2.705538 sq. miles (7.007311 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 2.705538 sq. miles (7.007311 sq …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Downs, IL — U.S. village in Illinois Population (2000): 776 Housing Units (2000): 301 Land area (2000): 2.705538 sq. miles (7.007311 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 2.705538 sq. miles (7.007311 sq. km) FIPS… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Downs, KS — U.S. city in Kansas Population (2000): 1038 Housing Units (2000): 543 Land area (2000): 1.102563 sq. miles (2.855626 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.102563 sq. miles (2.855626 sq. km) FIPS code …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • downs — downs; downs·man; …   English syllables

  • Downs — (engl., spr. Dauns), 1) niedrige, kahle Hügel, längs der Südküste von England, werden in Dorsetshire u. Wiltshire höher u. gebirgartig; 2) so v.w. Dünen …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Downs [1] — Downs (spr. dauns), s. Schaf …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Downs [2] — Downs (spr. dauns, »Dünen«), zwei Höhenzüge in England, die, von der Ebene von Salisbury ausgehend, sich in östlicher Richtung erstrecken. Die nördlichen D., die im Inkpen Beacon (südlich vom Kennet) 296 m Höhe erreichen, enden mit den Felsen… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Downs [3] — Downs (spr. dauns), berühmte Reede in der Straße von Calais, der englischen Stadt Deal gegenüber, im O. durch die Goodwin Sands geschützt. Hier vernichtete der holländische Admiralleutnant Marten Tromp 21. Okt. 1639 die letzte bedeutende… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Downs — (spr. dauns, d.h. Dünen), in Südengland zwei Reihen von Kreidehügeln, die North D., von Winchester östl. bis Dover und Folkestone, bis 295 m hoch, die South D., mit schönen Weiden (South Down Schafe), von Eastbourne bis Hampshire, bis 248 m hoch …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

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