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.

• Townsend Bell (born 1975), motor racing driver
• Townsend Coleman (born 1954), American voice actor
• Townsend Cromwell (1922–1958), oceanographer
• Townsend Dodd (1886–1919), US Army aviator
• Townsend Haines (1792–1865), American politician and judge from Pennsylvania
• Townsend Harris (1804–1878), 19th century American merchant and politician
• Townsend Hoopes (1922–2004), former Undersecretary of the US Air Force
• Townsend Saunders (born 1967), Olympic medalist in wrestling
• Townsend Scudder (1865–1960), US Congressman from New York
• Townsend Whelen (1877–1961), American hunter, soldier, writer, outdoorsman and rifleman

• Charles Townsend Ludington (1896–1968), American aviator
• Cyrus Townsend Brady (1861–1920), American journalist
• Frederick Townsend Martin (1849–1914), American author
• Frederick Townsend Ward (1831–1862), American mercenary
• James Townsend Saward, English barrister and forger
• John Townsend Trowbridge (1827–1916), American author
• Light Townsend Cummins (born 1946), American educator and historian
• Lynn Townsend White, Jr. (1907–1987), American professor
• Mary Townsend Seymour (1873–1957), African-American politician
• Sylvia Townsend Warner (1893–1978), English novelist and poet
• Thomas Townsend Brown (1905–1985), American inventor

• A. A. Townsend (1810–1888), American pioneer and politician
• Albert Alan Townsend (1917–2010), Australian fluid dynamicist
• Alf Townsend (1900–1973), rugby league footballer of the 1920s for New Zealand
• Amos Townsend (1821–1895), American politician
• Andros Townsend (born 1991), English football player
• Andy Townsend (born 1963), Irish soccer player
• Anna Townsend (1845–1923), American silent film actress
• Anel Townsend (born 1966), Peruvian politician
• Ben Townsend (born 1981), English football player
• Bertha Townsend (1869–1909), American tennis player
• Bill Townsend, American entrepreneur
• Bill Townsend (footballer) (1922–1988), English football player and manager
• Boris Townsend (1919–2006), 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 (1708–1770), British politician
• Chris Townsend (disambiguation)
• Clinton Paul Townsend (1868 — 1931), American chemist
• M. Clifford Townsend (1884–1954), 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. (1919–1995), American broadcaster
• Darian Townsend (born 1984), South African swimmer
• Dave Townsend (born 1954), contemporary British musician
• David Townsend (disambiguation)
• Deshea Townsend (born 1975), American football player
• Dequan Townsend (born 1986), American mixed martial artist
• Devin Townsend (born 1972), Canadian musician
• Dobbo Townshend (1944–2013), Zimbabwean cricketer
• Douglas Townsend (1921–2012), American composer
• Dwight Townsend (1826–1899), U.S. Representative from New York
• E. Reginald Townsend (1917–1980), American politician and journalist
• Ed Townsend (1929–2003), songwriter
• Eddie Townsend (1914–1988), boxing trainer
• Edward D. Townsend (1817–1893), 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 (1869–1965), British recipient of the Empire Gallantry Medal
• Emily Vermeule (1928–2001), 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 (born 1961), former Homeland Security Adviser to U.S. President George W. Bush
• Francis Townsend (1867–1960), 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 (1862–1918), American politician
• Gareth Townsend (born 1968), English cricketer and cricket coach
• George Alfred Townsend (1841–1914), American journalist and novelist
• George Fyler Townsend (Reverend) (1814–1900), British writer and translator
• Gregor Townsend (born 1973), Scottish rugby player
• Graeme Townsend (born 1954), 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 (born 1945), American actress
• JoAnn Clayton Townsend (1935–2020), American space policy analyst
• John Townsend (author) (born 1952), 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) (born 1938), 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 (1824–1892), American politician
• Johnny Townsend (American football) (born 1995), American football player
• Jon Townsend, a historical YouTuber
• Joseph Townsend (1737–1816), English minister and economist
• Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (born 1951), American politician
• Lady Juliet Townsend (1941–2014), British writer and Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire
• Larry Townsend (politician) (1947–2013), American politician
• Lauren Townsend (disambiguation), several people
• Lena Townsend (1911–2004), British politician
• Les Townsend (1914–1986), Australian cricket umpire
• Leslie Townsend (disambiguation)
• Madame Lawrence Townsend (see Natalie Townsend)
• Mansfield Townsend (see Marie Townsend, (1851–1912)
• 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 (born 1986), English footballer
• Mike Townsend (born 1952), American football player
• Natalie Townsend (1866–1962), American composer aka Pearl Townsend and Madam Lawrence Townsend)
• Norman Townsend (1924–1984), Australian cricket umpire
• Paul Townsend (born 1951), 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 (1894–1973), American gay rights activist
• Primi Townsend (born 1951), British actress
• Ralph Townsend (1900–1976), American author and activist
• Randolph Townsend (born 1947), 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 (born 1985), Australian footballer
• Simon Townsend (1945–2025), Australian television presenter
• Solomon Townsend (c. 1746–1811), Revolutionary War era ship captain and ironworker
• Stacy Townsend, fictional character in Doctor Who
• Stephen J. Townsend, United States army officer
• Stuart Townsend (born 1972), Irish actor and director
• Sue Townsend (1946–2014), English writer and humorist
• Tammy Townsend (born 1970), American actress and singer
• Taylor Townsend (disambiguation)
• Tom Townsend (born 1971), English bridge player
• Tommy Townsend (born 1996), American football player
• Trey Townsend (born 2002), American basketball player
• Veronica Townsend, fictional character
• Wade Townsend (born 1983), American baseball pitcher
• Wallace Townsend (1882–1979), American lawyer and politician
• Washington Townsend (1813–1894), American politician
• Willard Saxby Townsend (1895–1957), African-American labour leader
• William Townsend (disambiguation), several people
• William Cameron Townsend (1896–1982), prominent Christian missionary and founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators
• Yulia Townsend (born 1986), Russian-born New Zealand singer

• 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

• 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^[1]
• 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)

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

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

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

• Townend (surname)
• Tausend (surname)