Downie or Downey is a surname. There appears to be a number of sources of the Downie/Downey surname in
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
and
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, with the intermittent mix in
Ulster
Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United King ...
. The spelling of the surname as Downie is almost unique to Scotland with minor instances in
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
(
Antrim). The following information on the origins of the name are taken from.
In Scotland
There are Dounie/Doune/Downie place names or hill forts or Dun in most parishes in Scotland, including
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
,
Angus
Angus may refer to:
Media
* ''Angus'' (film), a 1995 film
* ''Angus Og'' (comics), in the ''Daily Record''
Places Australia
* Angus, New South Wales
Canada
* Angus, Ontario, a community in Essa, Ontario
* East Angus, Quebec
Scotland
* An ...
,
Stirling,
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
,
Inverness
Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histori ...
and the
Isle of Lewis
The Isle of Lewis ( gd, Eilean Leòdhais) or simply Lewis ( gd, Leòdhas, ) is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides archipelago in Scotland. The two parts are frequently referred to as ...
. The name may derive from any of these, or from the
Barony of Downie Barony may refer to:
* Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron
* Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron
* Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...
in Angus.
It is also a derivative of the Gaelic Mac Gille/Maol Domhnaich or McAldonich "son of the servant of the Lord (Sunday)" which both are anglicised to Macgildownie, Mcildownie and Gildownie (and many variations) to Downie, mainly in the parishes of
Argyll
Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland.
Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...
, western
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
and
Inverness
Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histori ...
.
In Ireland
O’Dunadhaigh is a person identified with a fort or Dun. This surname is found mostly in
County Galway
"Righteousness and Justice"
, anthem = ()
, image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg
, map_caption = Location in Ireland
, area_footnotes =
, area_total_km2 = ...
, South West
Cork
Cork or CORK may refer to:
Materials
* Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product
** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container
***Wine cork
Places Ireland
* Cork (city)
** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
and
Leinster
Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...
. The surname is often anglicised to Downey. Mac Dunadhaigh, identified with a fort or Dun, is the surname of an old
Galway
Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...
family.
Patronymics
The first name such as Maol Domhnaich, or Muldonich meaning the "Lord's Devotee" have been used in Scotland and may have been the precursors to the Mac variations.
Notable people
Notable people with the surname Downie include:
*
Alex Downie
Alexander Frank Downie, OBE, MLC (born 1945, Douglas) is a Manx politician and former marine engineer. He is a member of the Legislative Council of the Isle of Man and a former Trade and Industry Minister of the Government. He was a Membe ...
, member of the Legislative Council of the
Isle of Man
)
, anthem = "O Land of Our Birth"
, image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg
, image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg
, mapsize =
, map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe
, map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green)
in Europe ...
*
Allan Watt Downie
Allan Watt Downie FRS (5 September 1901 – 26 January 1988) was a Scottish microbiologist involved in the eradication of smallpox. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is ...
(1901–1988), Scottish microbiologist
*
Becky Downie
Rebecca "Becky" Downie (born 24 January 1992 in Nottingham) is a British artistic gymnastics, artistic gymnast who competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics, 2008 and 2016 Summer Olympics. She is a double European champion (2014 and 2016) and 2014 C ...
(or Rebecca Downie), British gymnast European and world medalist
*
Ellie Downie, British gymnast world and European medalist
*
David Downie
David D. Downie (born in San Francisco in 1958) is a multilingual Paris-based American nonfiction author, crime novelist and journalist who writes most often about culture, food and travel.
Biography
Downie's father, a Californian from Garden ...
, American author
*
David L. Downie David Leonard Downie (born 1961) is an American scholar focusing on international environmental politics and policy. He currently writes and teaches at Fairfield University.
Research and writings
Downie's research focuses on factors that can promot ...
, American scholar
*
Dorothy G. Downie
Dorothy G. Downie (1894–1960) was a Scottish botanist and forester. She is known for her research on the fungal symbionts and nutritional requirements of orchids.
Biography
Dorothy G. Downie graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 19 ...
(1894–1960), British botanist
*
Freda Downie
Freda Downie (20 October 1929 – 4 May 1993) was an English poet.
Downie was born in London, growing up in the outskirts of Shooters Hill. The family were evacuated to Northamptonshire at the start of World War II in September 1939. They retur ...
(1929-1993), English poet
*
Gary Downie, production manager
*
Gord Downie (1964–2017), Canadian rock musician
*
Jack Downie
Jack Downie (September 1919 – 1963) was a British economist who is famous for writing ''The Competitive Process''.
Nightingale discusses the "short but brilliant career" of economist Jack Downie, emphasising the importance of his theory of ''T ...
, Scottish footballer
*
James Downie James Downie may refer to:
* James Downie (footballer)
* James Downie (cyclist)
James Stewart Downie (19 July 1922 – 29 September 1995) was a New Zealand racing cyclist who represented his country at the 1950 British Empire Games in Auck ...
, 19th century footballer
*
James Downie (cyclist), New Zealand racing cyclist
*
Johnny Downie
John Dennis Downie (19 July 1925 – 19 February 2013) was a Scottish footballer. He was born in Lanark,1925 Births in the District of Lanark in the County of Lanark page 35 no 104 and played as an inside forward. Downie played football as a ...
, Scottish footballer
*
John Wallace Downie, Scottish businessman and politician
*
Kenneth Downie
Kenneth Downie is a composer of brass band music.
He was born in Glasgow in 1946 and educated at Greenock High School, the Royal Manchester College of Music and Durham University. He then became a specialist music teacher in schools before leavi ...
, Scottish composer
*
Leonard Downie Jr. Leonard "Len" Downie Jr. (born May 1, 1942) is an American journalist who was executive editor of ''The Washington Post'' from 1991 to 2008. He worked in the ''Post'' newsroom for 44 years. His roles at the newspaper included executive editor, manag ...
, American journalist
*
Penny Downie, Australian actress
*
Nick Downie
Nicolas Jon Downie (27 May 1946 – 12 May 2021) was a British journalist and soldier.
Education and early career
Nick Downie was educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College, at the Middlesex Hospital and Stirling Lines. One year ...
, Soldier and war correspondent
*
Robert Downie, Scottish soldier
*
Robert Downie (footballer)
Robert Downie (19 March 1867 in Glasgow – 27 July 1893) was a Scottish footballer who played for Thornliebank, Third Lanark and Scotland as a goalkeeper. He was a Scottish Cup winner in 1889
Events
January–March
* January 1
** ...
, Scottish football goalkeeper
*
Steve Downie
Steve Downie (born April 3, 1987) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, Pittsburgh Penguins and Arizona Coyotes, ...
, Canadian ice hockey player
*
Tyrone Downie
Tyrone Downie (20 May 1956 – 5 November 2022) was a Jamaican keyboardist and pianist best known for his involvement as a member of Bob Marley and The Wailers.Foster, Chuck (1999) ''Roots Rock Reggae'', Billboard Books, , p. 66, 116
He studi ...
, member of
Bob Marley and The Wailers
Places
*
Downie Hills
The Downie Hills are a small range of hills in Angus, Scotland, approximately to the North of Carnoustie. At their highest point is the summit of Camustane Hill, where lies the Panmure Testimonial. To the east of this is a tree-lined avenue th ...
, Scotland
*
Downiehills, Scotland
*
Downie Point
Downie Point is a prominent headland located at the southern edge of Stonehaven Bay in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. (United Kingdom, 2004) From the Stonehaven Harbour, there is a panoramic view of this cliff landform, especially from the tip of Bel ...
, Scotland
*
Downie River, California
*
Downie's Loup
Downie's Loup waterfall, alt=Downie's Loup waterfall in Scotland
Downie's Loup is a waterfall of Scotland located near the village of Gargunnock.Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 scale Explorer map series, sheets 309-470
See also
*Waterfalls of Scotland
...
, a Scottish waterfall
Other
*
Downie bodies Downie bodies, also known as a type of A-type inclusion, are a type of inclusion body associated with cowpox. They are named for Allan Watt Downie.
A Downie body is different from a ''Downey cell'' which is a reactive lymphocyte
In immunology, r ...
*
Downie's spotted leaf beetle
''Cryptocephalus downiei'', or Downie's spotted leaf beetle, is a species of case-bearing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is found in North America. The specific epithet ''downiei'' honors American psychologist and coleopterist
Co ...
See also
*
Downey (surname)
Downey is an Irish surname that means in English “belonging to a fort”. The name is found from ancient times in areas of Ireland's modern County Galway, southwest Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Ulster and Leinster and is believed to be the surname of ...
References
{{surname, Downie