Underdown One-Name Study

Underdown
One-Name Study

Topics

About the Underdown One-Name Study
Variants
Origin of the surname
Historical occurrences
Frequency of the name
Distribution of the name
Data
Contact Details

About the Underdown One-Name Study

My Underdown one-name study commenced many years ago now when I became stuck on my own family tree with trying to find the baptism / birth place of Vincent Underdown circa 1740 in Kent. Since then I have collected and shared much data and met many 'cousins' but have still not found the elusive Vincent!

Variants

Underdowne

Origin of the surname

Underdown is an Olde English place name meaning 'dweller at the foot of the hill' i.e under or below the hill or down. First mentions of the name are in Kent although there is a pocket of Devon with quite early references - again a place with 'downs'.

Historical occurrences

Wulfinus Underdune, templar in the 12th Century

Thomas Underown, mayor of Dover 1731 and 1733

Vincent Underdown, mayor of Dover 1743 and 1745

Thomas H.J. Underdown, mayor of Bristol 1940 (also President of NUT in 1917)

Frequency of the name

The result of the 1881 census project showed that in Britain there were 628 Underdowns (including variants) i.e. 0.0021%.

Distribution of the name

In 1881 the county of Kent had the highest mentions of the name at 47.9% followed by London, Devon and Sussex.

Data

I have collected the births, marriages and deaths from 1837, much census material and many parish register entries (especially from Kent), various details of wills (including those from 1863 onward) and correspondence / family trees of many contacts.

Contact details

For further information, contact:

Mrs Marilyn Marshall
25a Park Avenue,
Shoreham-By-Sea,
West Sussex
BN43 6PH
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail:

This page last updated 2 March 2008.