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Well Family History

Well Surname Meaning

English (London): topographic name for someone who lived near a spring or stream from Middle English well(e) ‘spring, stream, well’ (Old English well(a)).

German: from a short form of the personal names Wallo, Walilo.

German: nickname from Middle High German wël ‘round’.

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


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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Well family from?

You can see how Well families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Well family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Well families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 209 Well families living in London. This was about 29% of all the recorded Well's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Well families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Well 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 Well ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Postman and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Well. 38% of Well men worked as a Postman and 75% of Well women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Well were Railway Clerk and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Well | 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

  • Postman
    38%
  • General Labourer
    38%
  • Railway Clerk
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Domestic Servant
    7%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    4%

What Well family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 44,000 census records available for the last name Well. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Well census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Well

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 36,000 military records available for the last name Well. For the veterans among your Well ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Well military records

You've only scratched the surface of Well family history

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What is the average Well lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Well life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1971, and highest in 1972. The average life expectancy for Well in 1962 was 58, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Well

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Well 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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