Townsend is an English surname and given name of Norman origin, derived from the name of the town called 'Tudham' in Normandy, which means 'from Tudham'. It was brought to England by the Normans after the Norman Conquest in 1066, and has since been widely used as both a last name and a first name. The name has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history, including American politician Robert A. Taft Jr., often known simply as Bob Dole, who was born Robert Joseph Daugherty but changed his name to Townsend when he became an adult.
The name Townsend experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the past century. With a total of 808 births recorded, it's clear that the name was particularly favored in more recent years, with peaks like 27 births in both 2019 and 2021. However, there were periods where it fell out of favor, such as between 1953 and 1965 when fewer than 10 births were recorded each year. Interestingly, the name was quite popular during World War II, with consistent birth numbers throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s.