The surname ‘Downing’ originates from England. It is a patronymic of the Scottish, and Irish name ‘Dunn’, derived from the Gaelic word ‘Donn’, a byname for a person with dark hair or a swarthy complexion, from the Gaelic word ‘donn’, meaning dark, brown. In English it is a nickname for a man with dark hair or swarthy complexion, from the Middle English, Old English word ‘dunn’ meaning dark coloured. In part it may also derive from an unrecorded Middle English survival of the Old English byname ‘Dunn(a) meaning ‘Dark’. In Scotland it is a habitation name from ‘Dun’ in the former county of Angus (now part of Tayside region), from the Gaelic word ‘dun’ meaning fort. Compiled information from Historical and Private archive’s has confirmed that the surname ‘Downing’ and or it’s variant’s, dates as far back as the thirteenth century were a ‘Adam de Dun’ was elected to the deanery of Moray in 1255 and ‘William de Dun’, perhaps a relative, was dean there in 1268. The exact period of settlement in North America has not been definitely determined but Information extracted from Public and Civil registry archi…
Coat of arms: Gules a fesse vair betwe…