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Horwell Family History

Horwell Surname Meaning

In SW England, either from Horrells in Dunchideock or Horwell in Colebrook, both in Devon. The place-name derives from Old English horh ‘mud, dirt’ + wella ‘well, spring, stream’. In the W Midlands, from Horwell (now lost in Coventry, Warwicks), probably named either with Old English horh ‘mud, dirt’ or with Old English hār ‘boundary’ + wella ‘well, spring, stream’; or perhaps from a lost Horwell in Severn Stoke (Worcs).

A variant of Orwell (from the place so named in Cambs) with prosthetic H-.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Horwell family from?

You can see how Horwell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Horwell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Horwell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 27 Horwell families living in Devon. This was about 30% of all the recorded Horwell's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Horwell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Horwell 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 Horwell 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 Horwell. 28% of Horwell men worked as a General Labourer and 83% of Horwell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Horwell were Licensed Victualler Retired and Unpaid House Duties.

View Census Data for Horwell | 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
    28%
  • Wood Machinist
    28%
  • Postman
    28%
  • Licensed Victualler Retired
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    83%
  • House Duties
    4%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    3%
  • Unpaid House Duties
    3%

What Horwell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Horwell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Horwell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Horwell

Passenger Lists

There are 424 immigration records available for the last name Horwell. 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 Horwell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 429 military records available for the last name Horwell. For the veterans among your Horwell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Horwell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Horwell family history

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What is the average Horwell lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2004, in the United States, Horwell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1986, and highest in 1968. The average life expectancy for Horwell in 1966 was 56, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Horwell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Horwell ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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