Downey is an Irish surname that means in English “belonging to a fort”. The name is found from ancient times in areas of Ireland's modern County Galway, southwest Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Ulster and Leinster and is believed to be the surname of three distinct families. In Ulster, Downey (I. Ó Duibheanaigh) were the chiefs of the Ulaid petty-kingdom of Cinel Amhalgaidh, now known in the Anglicised form as Clanawley in County Down.
Notable people named Downey include:
Aaron Downey (born 1974), Canadian ice hockey player and coach
Alberto Downey (1890-?), Chilean cyclist
Alexander Downey (1817–1898), American judge
Alfred Downey (1897-?), Irish footballer
Allen B. Downey (born 1967), American computer scientist
Angela Downey (born 1957), Irish camogie player
Ann Downey (born 1957), Irish camogie player
Bill Downey (1923–2015), American basketball player
Brad Downey (born 1980), American artist, political activist and filmmaker
Brian Downey (actor) (born 1944), Canadian actor
Brian Downey (drummer) (born 1951), Irish drummer
Brian C. Downey (1950–2012), Canadian politician
Bruce Downey, American businessperson and former CEO
Charles L. Downey (1915–1990), American politician
Chris Downey (fl. 1998–present), American writer and producer
Chris Downey (footballer) (born 1983), English footballer
Cliff Downey (1928–2018), Canadian politician
Conor Downey (born 1982), Northern Irish footballer
Danielle Downey (1980–2014), professional golfer
Dave Downey (1941–2025), American basketball player
David Downey (born 1942), Canadian boxer
Devan Downey (born 1987), American basketball player
Donnell Downey (1907–1966), Australian cricketer
Doug Downey (born 1970), Canadian politician
Edmund Downey (1856–1937), Irish journalist and novelist
Eoin Downey (born 2003), Irish hurler
Es Downey (1923–2011), Australian rules footballer
Fairfax Downey (1893–1990), American military historian
Garbhan Downey (born 1966), Irish novelist and editor
Gerald Downey (born 1980), American actor
Geraldine Downey (living), Irish-American academic psychologist
Glanville Downey (1908–1991), American historian
Glen Downey (born 1978), English footballer
Glen Downey (writer) (born 1969), Canadian children's author and teacher
Glynn Downey (1915–1976), American basketball player
Gordon Downey (1928–2022), British ombudsman
Hal Downey (1877–1959), American hematologist
Harris Downey (1907–1979), American writer
Harry O. Downey (1897–1974), Canadian politician
Henry Downey (born 1966), Irish hurler and gaelic footballer
Hugh Downey (fl. 1940s), Northern Irish politician
Jack Downey (1921–2006), Olympic sailing competitor for Australia
James Downey (disambiguation)
Jim Downey (comedian) (born 1952), American actor and comedian
Jim Downey (politician) (born 1942), Canadian politician
Jimmy Downey (born 1987), Australian soccer player
Jo-Anna Downey (1966–2016), Canadian comedian
Joann Downey (born 1966), American politician
John Downey (disambiguation)
Jonathan Downey (born 1983), American businessman
Joseph Downey (cricketer) (1895–1934), Australian cricketer
Joseph Downey (Newfoundland politician) (1852–1933), Canadian politician
Joseph Downey (Ontario politician) (1865–1926), Canadian politician
Juan Downey (1940–1993), Chilean video artist
June Downey (1875–1932), American psychologist
Justin Downey (born 1986), South African rugby union footballer
Karrie Downey (born 1973), American volleyball player
Keith Downey (agricultural scientist) (born 1927), Canadian agricultural scientist
Keith Downey (politician), Minnesota politician
Lesley Ann Downey (c. 1954–1964), child murder victim
Marg Downey (born 1961), Australian comedian
Margaret Downey, American atheist activist
Mike Downey (columnist) (1951–2024), American newspaper columnist
Mike Downey (producer), 21st century Irish-British film producer
Mortimer L. Downey (1936–2023), American government official
Morton Downey (1901–1985), American singer nicknamed "The Irish Nightingale"
Morton Downey Jr. (1932–2001), American singer, songwriter and talk show host of The Morton Downey Jr. Show
Pat Downey (American football) (born 1974), American football center
Pat Downey (barrister) (1927–2017), New Zealand lawyer
Pat Downey (wrestler) (born 1992), American freestyle wrestler
Ray Downey (born 1968), Canadian boxer
Richard Downey (1881–1953), Irish-born Roman Catholic Archbishop of Liverpool, England
Robert Downey (hurler) (born 1999)
Robert Downey Sr. (1936–2021), originally Robert Elias Jr., actor, writer and film director
Robert Downey Jr. (born 1965), American actor
Rod Downey (born 1957), New Zealand and Australian mathematician and computer scientist
Roma Downey (born 1960), Irish actress and producer
Shannon Downey, American crafter and activist
Shem Downey (1922–2013), Irish hurler
Sheridan Downey (1884–1961), American lawyer and U.S. Senator from California
Susan Downey (born 1973), American film producer, wife of Robert Downey Jr.
Thomas Downey (born 1949), American attorney, lobbyist and former politician
Tom Downey (1884–1961), American Major League Baseball player
W. & D. Downey (William and Daniel), photographers
William Downey (Medal of Honor) (c. 1832–1909), Irish-born American Civil War soldier awarded the Medal of Honor