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Blackwell Family History

Blackwell Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of various places called Blackwell, for example in Cumbria, Derbyshire, County Durham, Warwickshire, Somerset, Devon, Sussex, and Worcestershire, named in Old English from blæc ‘black, dark’ + wæll(a) or well(a) ‘spring, stream’.

Alternatively, it may be a topographic name for someone who lived by the ‘dark well or stream’, stemming from Middle English blak + wel(le).

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


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Where is the Blackwell family from?

You can see how Blackwell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Blackwell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Blackwell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 978 Blackwell families living in London. This was about 16% of all the recorded Blackwell's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Blackwell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Blackwell 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 Blackwell 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 Blackwell. 9% of Blackwell men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Blackwell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Blackwell were Builders Labourer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Blackwell | 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
    9%
  • Bricklayer
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Blackwell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 259,000 census records available for the last name Blackwell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Blackwell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Blackwell

Passenger Lists

There are 17,000 immigration records available for the last name Blackwell. 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 Blackwell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 44,000 military records available for the last name Blackwell. For the veterans among your Blackwell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Blackwell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Blackwell family history

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What is the average Blackwell lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Blackwell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Blackwell in 1940 was 44, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Blackwell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Blackwell 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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