The name DOWNEY is not very common in Devon. There are particular occurrences in the Witheridge area which I believe to be local corruptions of DOWN or DOWNE rather than indicating a link to Ireland where the name DOWNEY is fairly common.
My interest in the name arises from MARY DOWNEY (1705/1774) who was married at Witheridge in 1727 to my earliest traced BURGESS ancestor JOHN BURGESS (-----/1772)
The DOWNEY references in the Witheridge parish registers go back to the late 1500s and I have worked out the various family lines although there are some gaps. There are connections from the Witheridge DOWNEY families to the Devon parishes of Rackenford, Thelbridge, Oakford, Bradninch, Woolfardisworthy, Calverleigh, Halberton, North Tawton, Zeal Monachorum, Cadeleigh, Cadbury, Cheriton Fitzpaine, Newton St Cyres, East and West Worlington, Lapford and Torquay.
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