Origins of the Townsend surname
About the Townsends
We have a total of 155588 records for people with the last name Townsend.
Find out more about your family in our records
Start your family history journey
Start free trial
“
I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1700s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.
SS
Stuart
Start your family tree
Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Townsends.
Sign up to get startedDelve deeper into the Townsend family's history
Interesting facts about Townsend
How common is your surname?
304th most common surname in the UK
We have for the Townsend surname. The oldest one dates back to 1538.
Who were Townsends most likely to marry?
Our tell us which families married Townsends.
What are the most common Townsend first names?
John
William
Mary
Elizabeth
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.
Common jobs for Townsends
Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.
Common female occupations for Townsends in 1921
Dressmaker
566
Laundress
418
Domestic Servant
338
General Servant Domestic
305
General Servant
257
Common male occupations for Townsends in 1921
Agricultural Labourer
781
General Labourer
470
Farm Labourer
469
Farmer
352
Carpenter
310
