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Oconnell Family History

Oconnell Name Meaning

Irish (Munster): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Conaill ‘descendant of Conall’ a personal name probably composed of the elements con (genitive of ‘hound’ or ‘wolf’) + gal ‘valor’. It was borne by many early chieftains and warriors of Ireland including the Ulster hero Conall Cearnach one of the two sons of Niall of the Nine Hostages who gave his name to Tirconell otherwise known as Donegal. It was further popularized by the fame of a 7th-century Irish saint abbot of Inis Caoil.

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


Similar surnames: O'connell, Connell, Cornell, Mcconnell, O'donnell, Mcdonnell

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Where is the Oconnell family from?

You can see how Oconnell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Oconnell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Oconnell families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 196 Oconnell families living in London. This was about 24% of all the recorded Oconnell's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Oconnell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Oconnell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Oconnell 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 Oconnell. 67% of Oconnell men worked as a General Labourer and 95% of Oconnell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Oconnell were Retired and Domestic. .

View Census Data for Oconnell | 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
    67%
  • Retired
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    95%
  • Domestic
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Oconnell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 251,000 census records available for the last name Oconnell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Oconnell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Oconnell

Passenger Lists

There are 52,000 immigration records available for the last name Oconnell. 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 Oconnell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 53,000 military records available for the last name Oconnell. For the veterans among your Oconnell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Oconnell lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Oconnell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Oconnell in 1941 was 32, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Oconnell

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