United States social reformer who proposed an old-age pension sponsored by the federal government; his plan was a precursor to Social Security (1867-1960)
"The Townsend Plan, championed by Dr. Francis Townsend, offered monthly pensions to seniors in exchange for spending them within their communities."
A surname.
"The Townsend family gathered at their annual reunion in the fall."
The word Townsend comes from the Middle English words toun, meaning a hamlet or village, and ende, meaning an end. It originally referred to the edge or boundary of a town rather than describing a person's name.