Drown
Usually an English surname from a nickname or descriptive phrase, though its exact origin is uncertain.
The #7,684 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 71,452 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Drown is likely English, but the historical evidence is thin and not decisive. It may have begun as a descriptive nickname connected with the verb "to drown," perhaps for someone associated with water or with a dramatic incident, but there is no strong proof that this is the true source. It may also be one of several surnames that developed from shortened or altered forms of older names over time.
History
The name appears in English-language surname lists and indexes in forms such as Drown and Drowne. Historical references in older books sometimes place it alongside other short surnames, but they do not provide a secure explanation for its origin. The modern surname remains relatively uncommon in the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because the surname is so rare, older surname compilers often mentioned it only in passing rather than giving it a full etymological entry.
From the historical record
“the year. The imprecation was fulfilled, and the countess became the mother of a dozen babes at once. Dreading the vengeance of her severe lord, she bade her maid go drown eleven of the twelve. But whom should the girl meet while on this horrible errand but the Count himself, who, suspect- ing that all was not…”
— An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names