# Townsend (name)

Townsend is a topographic surname of Yorkshire and Norfolk origin, indicating residence at the extremity of a city or burgh (from Middle English touun "village", "hamlet", "stead" + ende "end".) Popular variants are Townshend (of Norfolk variety), and Townend.

## Given name

* Townsend Bell, motor racing driver
* Townsend Coleman, American voice actor
* Townsend Cromwell, oceanographer
* Townsend Dodd, US Army aviator
* Townsend Haines (1792–1865), American politician and judge from Pennsylvania
* Townsend Harris, 19th century American merchant and politician
* Townsend Hoopes, former Undersecretary of the US Air Force
* Townsend Saunders, Olympic medalist in wrestling
* Townsend Scudder, US Congressman from New York
* Townsend Whelen, American hunter, soldier, writer, outdoorsman and rifleman

## Middle name

* Charles Townsend Ludington, American aviator
* Cyrus Townsend Brady, American journalist
* Frederick Townsend Martin, American author
* Frederick Townsend Ward, American mercenary
* James Townsend Saward, English barrister and forger
* John Townsend Trowbridge, American author
* Light Townsend Cummins, American educator and historian
* Lynn Townsend White, Jr., American professor
* Mary Townsend Seymour, African-American politician
* Sylvia Townsend Warner, English novelist and poet
* Thomas Townsend Brown, American inventor

## Surname
### Townsend

* A. A. Townsend, American pioneer and politician
* Albert Alan Townsend (1917–2010), Australian fluid dynamicist
* Alf Townsend, rugby league footballer of the 1920s for New Zealand
* Amos Townsend (1821–1895), American politician
* Andros Townsend, English football player
* Andy Townsend, Irish soccer player
* Anna Townsend, American silent film actress
* Anel Townsend, Peruvian politician
* Ben Townsend, English football player
* Bertha Townsend, American tennis player
* Bill Townsend, American entrepreneur
* Bill Townsend (footballer), English football player and manager
* Boris Townsend, English physicist
* Brian Townsend (poker player), American poker player
* Bruce C. Townsend, American politician
* Camilla Townsend (born 1965), American historian
* Cathy Townsend (born 1937), Canadian ten-pin bowler
* Charles Townsend (disambiguation) (multiple, includes "Charlie")
* Chauncy Townsend, British politician
* Chris Townsend (disambiguation)
* Clinton Paul Townsend (1868 — 1931), American chemist
* M. Clifford Townsend, former Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana
* Cornelia Townsend (born 11 August 1851, date of death unknown), American composer
* Cyril Townsend, Sir Cyril David Townsend (1937-2013), British politician.
* Dallas Townsend, Dallas S. Townsend, Jr., American broadcaster
* Darian Townsend, South African swimmer
* Dave Townsend, contemporary British musician
* David Townsend (disambiguation)
* Deshea Townsend, American football player
* Dequan Townsend, American mixed martial artist
* Devin Townsend, Canadian musician
* Douglas Townsend, American composer
* Dwight Townsend (1826-1899), U.S. Representative from New York
* E. Reginald Townsend, American politician and journalist
* Ed Townsend, song writer
* Eddie Townsend, boxing trainer
* Edward D. Townsend, Adjutant General of the United States Army
* Edgar Jerome Townsend (1864–1955), American mathematician and translator of David Hilbert's Grundlagen der Geometrie.
* Eliza Townsend (1788-1854), American poet
* Elizabeth Sthreshley Townsend (died 1919), American inventor
* Emma Jose Townsend, British recipient of the Empire Gallantry Medal
* Emily Vermeule, née Emily Dickinson Townsend
* Ernest Townsend, British portraitist from Derby (1880-1944)
* F. H. Townsend, British cartoonist and illustrator (1868-1920)
* Fitzhugh Townsend (1872–1906), American fencer
* Frances Townsend, former Homeland Security Adviser to U.S. President George W. Bush
* Francis Townsend, creator of the proposal for an old-age pension plan during the Great Depression
* Franklin Townsend (1821–1898), 47th Mayor of Albany, New York, Adjutant General of the State of New York
* Frederick Townsend (1825–1897), Union Army officer in the Civil War, Adjutant General of New York
* Fred Townsend, American politician
* Gareth Townsend, English cricketer and cricket coach
* George Alfred Townsend (1841-1914), American journalist and novelist
* George Fyler Townsend (Reverend), British writer and translator
* Gregor Townsend, Scottish rugby player
* Graeme Townsend, Australian artist
* Harry Everett Townsend WWI war artist
* Henry Townsend (missionary) (1815–1886), Anglican missionary
* Henry Townsend (musician) (1909–2006), American blues singer, guitarist and pianist
* Henry Townsend (Norwich) (1626–1695), early American colonist born in Norwich, Norfolk, England
* Henry Townsend (Oyster Bay) (1649–1703), American colonist born in Oyster Bay
* Howard Townsend (1823–1867), physician and lecturer in Albany, New York
* James Townsend (disambiguation), several people
* Jill Townsend, American actress
* JoAnn Clayton Townsend (1935–2020), American space policy analyst
* John Townsend (author) (born 1956), American psychologist and author
* John Townsend (basketball) (died 2001), American basketball player
* John Townsend (footballer) (born 1943), Australian rules footballer
* John Townsend (mayor) (1783–1854), 37th mayor of Albany, NY
* John Townsend (Norwich) (1608–1668), early American settler in Oyster Bay, Long Island
* John Townsend (Wisconsin politician), American politician
* John Townsend (MP for Greenwich) (1819–1892), British politician and Member of Parliament for Greenwich
* John Townsend (Irish politician) (1737–1810), Irish MP for Dingle, Doneraile and Castlemartyr
* John G. Townsend, Jr. (1871–1964), American businessman and politician, Governor and Senator from Delaware
* John Kirk Townsend (1809–1851), American naturalist
* John Rowe Townsend (1922–2014), British children's author
* John Sealy Townsend (1868–1957), Irish physicist
* John Selby Townsend, American politician
* Johnny Townsend (American football), American football player
* Jon Townsend, a historical YouTuber
* Joseph Townsend (1737–1816), English minister and economist
* Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, American politician
* Lady Juliet Townsend (1941–2014), British writer and Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire
* Larry Townsend (politician), American politician
* Lauren Townsend (disambiguation), several people
* Lena Townsend, British politician
* Les Townsend, Australian cricket umpire
* Leslie Townsend (disambiguation)
* Madame Lawrence Townsend (see Natalie Townsend)
* Mansfield Townsend (see Marie Townsend)
* Marie Townsend (1851-1912) American author and composer, aka Mansfield Townsend
* Mark Lee Townsend, American rock guitarist
* Mary Townsend (artist) (1822-1869), New Zealand artist
* Mary Townsend (entomologist) (1814-1851), American abolitionist and entomologist
* Mary Ashley Townsend (1836-1901), American poet and writer
* Michael Townsend, English footballer
* Mike Townsend, American football player
* Natalie Townsend (1866-1962), American composer aka Pearl Townsend and Madam Lawrence Townsend)
* Norman Townsend, Australian cricket umpire
* Paul Townsend, British physicist
* Pearl Townsend (see Natalie Townsend)
* Peter Townsend (RAF officer) (1914–1995), British air-soldier and royal-family associate
* Peter Townsend (sociologist) (1928–2009), economist and author
* Prescott Townsend, American gay rights activist
* Primi Townsend, British actress
* Ralph Townsend, American author and activist
* Randolph Townsend, American politician
* Raymond Townsend (born 1955), American basketball player
* Richard Townsend (mathematician) (1821–1884), Irish mathematical physicist
* Richard Townsend (soldier), colonel of Oliver Cromwell's army
* Rick Townsend, American politician
* Robert Townsend (disambiguation), several people
* Ryan Townsend, Australian footballer
* Simon Townsend, Australian television presenter
* Solomon Townsend, Revolutionary War era ship captain and ironworker
* Stacy Townsend, fictional character in Doctor Who
* Stephen J. Townsend, United States army officer
* Stuart Townsend, Irish actor and director
* Sue Townsend (1946–2014), English writer and humorist
* Tammy Townsend, American actress and singer
* Taylor Townsend (disambiguation)
* Tom Townsend, English bridge player
* Tommy Townsend (born 1996), American football player
* Trey Townsend (born 2002), American basketball player
* Veronica Townsend, fictional character
* Wade Townsend, American baseball pitcher
* Wallace Townsend, American lawyer and politician
* Washington Townsend, American politician
* Willard Saxby Townsend (1895–1957), African-American labour leader
* William Townsend (disambiguation), several people
* William Cameron Townsend, prominent Christian missionary and founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators
* Yulia Townsend, Russian-born New Zealand singer

#### Fictional characters

* Charlie Townsend, fictional character from Charlie’s Angels
* Dr. Leland Townsend, main character from American TV series Evil
* Mia Townsend, main character portrayed by American actress Josie Maran in the 2005 video game Need for Speed: Most Wanted

### Townshend

* Anne Townshend (1573-1622), English Puritan
* Aurelian Townshend, English poet
* Cenzo Townshend, English music producer
* Charles Townshend (disambiguation)
* The Honorable Charlotte Anne Townshend, English landowner (Melbury House, Dorset) and daughter of the 9th Viscount Galway
* Chauncy Hare Townshend, English poet and collector
* Cliff Townshend, musician (1916–1986)
* Dorothea Petrie Townshend Carew (1895 - 1968), poet, writer and the editor of a literary magazine
* Emma Townshend, writer and musician, daughter of Pete Townshend
* George Townshend (disambiguation)
* Graeme Townshend, retired ice hockey forward
* Henry Townshend (disambiguation)
* John Townshend (disambiguation), several people
* Pete Townshend, guitarist and songwriter of The Who
* Robert "Fuzz" Townshend, British drummer
* Simon Townshend, musician (brother of Pete Townshend)
* Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney
* William Townshend (colonial governor)

#### Fictional characters

* Henry Townshend, main protagonist of the 2004 video game Silent Hill 4: The Room

### Townesend

* Stephen Townesend (priest), Dean of Exeter, 1583–1588
* Stephen Townesend (surgeon), English surgeon, stage actor, anti-vivisectionist and writer

## Pseudonyms

* Mike Townsend, pseudonym of Michael McCrea, a British financial adviser, author and convicted killer