Downham Family History

English: habitational name from any of various places called Downham in Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lancashire, and perhaps also from Downham, Northumberland, and Downholme, North Yorkshire, though no evidence has been found for these.

The names from Lancashire and Northumberland arise from Old English dūn, dative plural dūnum ‘(at) the hills’ while the others come from Old English dūn ‘hill’ + hām ‘homestead’.

Altered form of English Dunham.