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Maxwell Family History

Maxwell Surname Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from a place in Kelso near Melrose in Roxburghshire, the name of a salmon pool on the Tweed near Kelso Bridge. The placename is first recorded in 1144 in the form Mackeswell ‘Mack's spring or stream’ (Old English well(a)).

Irish: adopted for Ó Meisceall, see Miskell. This surname is common in Ulster.

Jewish: arbitrary adoption of the Scottish name or Americanized form of one or more similar (like-sounding) Jewish surnames.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Maxwell family from?

You can see how Maxwell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Maxwell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Maxwell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 769 Maxwell families living in Lancashire. This was about 23% of all the recorded Maxwell's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Maxwell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Maxwell 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 Maxwell 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 Maxwell. 11% of Maxwell men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Maxwell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Maxwell were Retired and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Maxwell | 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%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Medical Practitioner
    4%
  • Retired
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Maxwell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 461,000 census records available for the last name Maxwell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Maxwell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Maxwell

Passenger Lists

There are 67,000 immigration records available for the last name Maxwell. 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 Maxwell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 83,000 military records available for the last name Maxwell. For the veterans among your Maxwell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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