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Cornwall Family History

Cornwall Name Meaning

English:: habitational name from the county of Cornwall which is named with the Old English tribal name Cornwealas. This is from Kernow (the term that the Cornish used to refer to themselves a word of uncertain etymology perhaps connected with a Celtic element meaning ‘horn headland’) + Old English wealas ‘strangers foreigners’ the term used by the Anglo-Saxons for British-speaking people. variant of Cornwell .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Cornwell, Cornell, Gornall, Cordwell, Pownall, Cundall, Crowell

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Cornwall family from?

You can see how Cornwall families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cornwall family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cornwall families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 316 Cornwall families living in London. This was about 26% of all the recorded Cornwall's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Cornwall families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cornwall surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Cornwall ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Cornwall. 19% of Cornwall men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Cornwall women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cornwall were Incapacitated and Incapacitated. .

View Census Data for Cornwall | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    19%
  • Bricklayer
    7%
  • Agricultural Labourer
    6%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Cornwall family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 52,000 census records available for the last name Cornwall. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cornwall census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cornwall

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Cornwall. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Cornwall immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Cornwall. For the veterans among your Cornwall ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cornwall military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cornwall family history

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What is the average Cornwall lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Cornwall life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1956. The average life expectancy for Cornwall in 1948 was 32, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cornwall

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