Townsend
An English locational surname meaning “at the town’s end.”
The #483 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 4,451 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Townsend comes from Middle English townes ende, meaning “the end of the town.” The place-name element town goes back to Old English tun, “enclosure, settlement, village,” plus ende, “end.” It was originally used for someone who lived at or near the edge of a settlement.
History
Medieval records show early spellings such as Ate-Touneshend and Atte Tounesende, which point to a residence-name formed from a location rather than a personal nickname. The surname appears in several spellings, including Townshend and Townend, and both forms survived in English usage. It has long been especially associated with England and English-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same naming pattern appears in other English surnames like Woodend and Gravesend, all built from a place at the “end” of something.
From the historical record
“TOWNS, Town's (Son) : v. Town. TOWNSEND 1 (Eng.) Dweller at the End OF TOWNSHEND J A Town (Village) [O.E. tiin, genit. tunes + ende"] Townsley 232”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)