The most frequent family names with roots in County Down — names that spread through Ireland and the Irish diaspora:
County Down is the burial place of Saint Patrick — at least according to tradition. Downpatrick Cathedral in the county town is said to mark the grave of Ireland's patron saint, alongside Saints Brigid and Columba. The site has been a place of pilgrimage for over a thousand years.
The Mourne Mountains in the south of the county are one of the most dramatic landscapes in Ireland — a compact granite range that sweeps down to the Irish Sea. The mountains inspired C.S. Lewis's Narnia; the silent valley reservoir there supplied Belfast with water from 1933. 'The Mountains of Mourne' by Percy French is one of the most famous Irish songs.
The Ards Peninsula — separating Strangford Lough from the Irish Sea — is one of Ireland's most distinctive landscapes. Strangford Lough is the largest sea inlet in Britain and Ireland and is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Down emigrants, like those from the rest of Ulster, went heavily to Scotland and North America. The Scots-Irish identity of the county — particularly in the north — meant strong ties to the Ulster diaspora communities of Pennsylvania, the Carolinas, and Appalachia.
Love Ireland covers Downpatrick's Saint Patrick heritage, the Mourne Mountains walking routes, Strangford Lough, and the Ards Peninsula. County Down is one of the most scenically rewarding counties in Ireland.
Subscribe to Love Ireland — FreeIf your family came from County Down, here's where to start your research:
Common County Down surnames with dedicated pages on this site: