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Home › Baby Names Directory › Townsend

Townsend

♂ Boy

Pronounced TOWNZ-end /ˈtaʊnz.ɛnd/High

Meaning: From an English surname — 'dweller at the end of the town/village'High

In 30 seconds: At the edge of town: Townsend is the English surname 'dweller at town's end' — distinguished, surnamey, and crisp. Old-money handsome.
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Origin HighEnglish
MeaningFrom an English surname — 'dweller at the end of the town/village'
U.S. rank (2025)#3305 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births36 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2025
Total births (all-time)≈ 871

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202519142025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Townsend comes from an English locational surname — 'dweller at the end of the town/village'. A distinguished surname-name, it carries an old-world, refined feel.

It registers thinly in records. Rare, town's-end at the root, and patrician.

Did you know? Townsend means 'the end of the town' — where the village edge met the open country; it has a polished, patrician ring (think the Townsend Acts of history).
Overall data confidence 82%
Surname references — Townsend — locational etymology

Variations

TownshendTownend

Nicknames

Town

Famous Bearers

  • ★Townsend Harris (1804-1878)
    American merchant and diplomat who was the first American consul general to Japan

If you like Townsend…

Townes— a fellow Town- name
Everett— a companion patrician surname-name
Sterling— a fellow distinguished name
Prescott— another old-money surname-name

Explore names like Townsend

By themeenglishsurname-name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Townsend mean?

Townsend is an English surname for a 'dweller at the end of the town'.

How do you pronounce Townsend?

It's said TOWNZ-end /ˈtaʊnz.ɛnd/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Townsend a boy or girl name?

Townsend is a boy's name.

How popular is Townsend?

Townsend is a rare name in the U.S.

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