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Cornwell Family History

Cornwell Surname Meaning

English:: habitational name from Cornwell in Oxfordshire named from Old English corn, a metathesized form of cron cran ‘crane’ + well(a) ‘spring stream’. Variant of Cornwall or Cornhill; in southeastern England mainly a habitational name from Cornhill in London but elsewhere alternatively from Cornhill (Northumberland) or one of the many minor places so called.

Often becoming Cornell.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Cornwell family from?

You can see how Cornwell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cornwell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cornwell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 454 Cornwell families living in London. This was about 21% of all the recorded Cornwell's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Cornwell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cornwell 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 Cornwell 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 Cornwell. 11% of Cornwell men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Cornwell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cornwell were Shipping Clerk and Housewife.

View Census Data for Cornwell | 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
    11%
  • Bricklayer
    6%
  • Farmer
    5%
  • Shipping Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Cornwell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 102,000 census records available for the last name Cornwell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cornwell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cornwell

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Cornwell. 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 Cornwell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 14,000 military records available for the last name Cornwell. For the veterans among your Cornwell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cornwell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cornwell family history

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What is the average Cornwell lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Cornwell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Cornwell in 1949 was 47, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cornwell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cornwell 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Cornwell family tree

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