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Orwell Family History

Orwell Surname Meaning

For the name in Staffs and Shrops see Horwell. In E Anglia and SE England from Orwell (Cambs) which is recorded as Ordeuuelle in 1086.

It derives from Old English ord ‘point, corner of land, promontory’ + wella ‘well, spring, stream’.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Orwell family from?

You can see how Orwell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Orwell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Orwell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 41 Orwell families living in Staffordshire. This was about 53% of all the recorded Orwell's in United Kingdom. Staffordshire had the highest population of Orwell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Orwell 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 Orwell 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 Orwell. 58% of Orwell men worked as a General Labourer and 93% of Orwell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Orwell were Stevedore and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Orwell | 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
    58%
  • Stevedore
    43%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    93%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    8%

What Orwell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Orwell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Orwell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Orwell

Passenger Lists

There are 212 immigration records available for the last name Orwell. 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 Orwell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 144 military records available for the last name Orwell. For the veterans among your Orwell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Orwell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Orwell family history

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What is the average Orwell lifespan?

Between 1970 and 2003, in the United States, Orwell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2000, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Orwell in 1970 was 79, and 84 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Orwell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Orwell 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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