Dowden ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|d|aʊ|d|ən}}) is an English family name. It is patronymic from an Old English personal name, Dogod (probably a derivative of dugan ‘to avail’, ‘to be of use’), chiefly found in Gloucestershire and Somerset.

• Abraham Dowden (1839–1907), American politician
• Bradley Dowden (born 1942), American philosopher
• Corey Dowden, American football player in the National Football League
• Edward Dowden (1843–1913), Irish critic and poet
• Hester Dowden (1868–1949), Irish spiritual medium
• John Dowden (1840–1910), Irish bishop
• Ken Dowden (born 1950), English scholar
• Oliver Dowden, British Conservative Party politician, MP for Hertsmere since May 2015
• Richard Dowden, English journalist
• Steve Dowden (born 1929), American football player in the National Football League

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