Townsend Family History, Genealogy & Ancestry

The Townsend Family

6,255 Townsend records from public death, burial and census records and the old county histories, in all 12 Midwestern states we cover. Every name is a real person in the public record, and we follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

6,255Records in our database

1831Earliest birth

3Documented families

2Biographies

See the Townsend family trees →278 Townsend families pieced together from public birth and death records, county histories and old newspapers

At a glance

6,255 Townsend records in our database

From public death, burial and census records across 12 Midwestern states. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how). Tap a state or a decade to narrow the list of ancestors below.

Where

fewer more

When they were born

Most records: Missouri (1,486 of 6,255)
Most common birth decade: the 1910s
Earliest birth in the database: David Wood Townsend, born 1844, Kansas
Earliest in the county histories: Amos Townsend, born 1831

Most common first names

Mary152 John151 William151 Robert137 James126 Charles112 George88 Harold60 Helen55 Richard55 Ruth54 Frank48

Documented families

Townsend families we have traced

Written from county histories and public records, every fact cited. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

Family records from county histories (3)

Adelaide TownsendJasper County, IowaStarts: James Townsend & Esther Townsend, from New JerseyMost recent: Frances Howard, Charles E. Howard, Grace Howard James TownsendJasper County, IowaStarts: James Townsend, from New JerseyMost recent: Adelaide Townsend W. R. TownsendPortage County, OhioStarts: W. R. TownsendMost recent: Eleanor R. Townsend, Walter P. Townsend, Perry W. Townsend

The earliest Townsends in the county histories

Benjamin F. TownsendBorn 1818, Logan countySaline County, Missouri Joshua TownsendBorn 1824Child of William TownsendDarke County, Ohio William L. TownsendBorn 1824, Cooper countySaline County, Missouri Joseph TownsendBorn 1825Jackson County, Missouri S. E. TownsendBorn 1825Summit County, Ohio Joseph TownsendBorn 1827Child of Levi Townsend and Mary (Watson) TownsendChampaign County, Ohio

Family trees from the public record

278 Townsend families: parents, brothers and sistersFrom state birth and death indexes, county histories and old newspapers, most recent deaths first

In old newspapers

31 Townsend death notices, 1837 to 1925Obituaries and funeral notices from Midwest papers scanned by the Library of Congress, with the original pages

In the county history family index

34 Townsend people in 25 countiesBirth years, birthplaces, parents and spouses, from the old county histories

Biographies from the county histories (2)

Amos TownsendBorn 1831 · Cuyahoga County, Ohio John TownsendBorn 1837 · Buchanan County, Missouri

Done-for-you research

Trace your documented Townsend family

Found your Townsend? We trace your family back as far as the records go and write it up as a family history book, every source cited. No DNA test and no sales call: we take a free first look, then email you a plan and a flat price before you spend a dollar.

Common questions

Townsend genealogy: FAQ

Where were Townsend ancestors recorded?

Our database holds 6,255 Townsend records from all 12 Midwestern states. The most are in Missouri (1,486), then Ohio (884) and Michigan (772).

How far back does the Townsend family tree go?

The earliest Townsend birth in our database is 1844: David Wood Townsend, Kansas. The old county histories name Amos Townsend, born 1831. We have pieced together 278 Townsend family trees from public birth and death records.

Are living Townsend family members listed here?

Not knowingly. We follow set rules to leave living people out of our public pages. If you find a living relative listed here, email us and we will take the record down.

Is this my Townsend family?

Maybe. Many people share a name, so treat any match as a possible match until the dates and places line up with what you know about your family. Every person here links to their own page with the details, and we can trace your line for you.