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Penell Family History

Penell Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Pendell, Pesnell, Pennell, Penwell, Pinell, Pernell, Peel, Fennell

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Penell family from?

You can see how Penell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Penell family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Penell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 4 Penell families living in London. This was about 50% of all the recorded Penell's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Penell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Penell 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 Penell ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Penell. 27% of Penell men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Penell women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Penell were Farming and New Worker.

View Census Data for Penell | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    27%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Salesman
    9%
  • Farming
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    50%
  • New Worker
    50%

What Penell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Penell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Penell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Penell

Passenger Lists

There are 97 immigration records available for the last name Penell. 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 Penell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 207 military records available for the last name Penell. For the veterans among your Penell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Penell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Penell family history

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What is the average Penell lifespan?

Between 1968 and 1994, in the United States, Penell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1982, and highest in 1983. The average life expectancy for Penell in 1968 was 74, and 84 in 1994.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Penell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Penell 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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