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Farwell Family History

Farwell Surname Meaning

English:: nickname from the Middle English phrase fare wel ‘do well prosper’ or perhaps from the salutation fare wel ‘farewell goodbye’. Compare Farewell habitational name from Farewell Staffordshire or another place so named (from Old English fæger ‘pleasant’ + wella ‘spring stream’).

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


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Where is the Farwell family from?

You can see how Farwell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Farwell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Farwell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 146 Farwell families living in Dorset. This was about 33% of all the recorded Farwell's in United Kingdom. Dorset had the highest population of Farwell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Farwell 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 Farwell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Retired and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Farwell. 10% of Farwell men worked as a Retired and 80% of Farwell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Farwell were General Labourer Heavy Work and Private Means.

View Census Data for Farwell | 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

  • Retired
    10%
  • Police Constable
    10%
  • Dock Labourer
    10%
  • General Labourer Heavy Work
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%

What Farwell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 29,000 census records available for the last name Farwell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Farwell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Farwell

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Farwell. 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 Farwell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Farwell. For the veterans among your Farwell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Farwell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Farwell family history

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What is the average Farwell lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Farwell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Farwell in 1945 was 21, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Farwell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Farwell 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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