Downing Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Downing last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Downing last name
Meaning of the Downing last name: son of Dunn (dark). Downing is an English surname, mostly from the old personal name Dunning, "son of Dunn", for someone dark. In Ireland the last name also stands for Ó DuinnÃn. Curiously, Downing Street is named after Sir George Downing, who grew up in New England and was among Harvard's first graduates.
Arms associated with the Downing name
Heraldry linked with the Downing surname uses a few strong colours, and each coat of arms has its own blazon.
Get your full Downing family history
This is only a glimpse of the Downing story. The full Downing history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Downing coat of arms. Get the full Downing report.
Downing name FAQ
What does the Downing name mean?
Son of Dunn (dark). Common variants include Dunning.
Where does the Downing surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in Ireland, the United States and Australia.
Is there a Downing coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Downing coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).