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Rowell Family History

Rowell Name Meaning

English:: habitational name principally from Rothwell (Yorkshire) but Rothwell in Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire also gave rise to surnames. The placenames derive from Old English roth ‘clearing’ + wella ‘well spring stream’. habitational name from Rowell in Chudleigh (Devon) named with Old English rūh ‘rough’ + hyll ‘hill’. The name may have been confused with Roll . perhaps a habitational name from Roel (Gloucestershire) or Rowell (Westmorland). The Gloucestershire placename derives from Old English rā ‘roe roe buck’ + wella ‘well spring stream’ while the Westmorland placename probably derives from Old English rūh ‘rough’ + hol ‘hole hollow’. perhaps a variant of Roll ; see Rolfe .

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


Similar surnames: Howell, Rodwell, Bowell, Cowell, Crowell, Trowell, Powell, Roswell

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Where is the Rowell family from?

You can see how Rowell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rowell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rowell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 568 Rowell families living in Durham. This was about 17% of all the recorded Rowell's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Rowell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rowell 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 Rowell 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 Rowell. 13% of Rowell men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Rowell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rowell were Agricultural Labourer and Domestic Servant. .

View Census Data for Rowell | 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
    13%
  • Farmer
    7%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Agricultural Labourer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Rowell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 114,000 census records available for the last name Rowell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rowell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rowell

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Rowell. 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 Rowell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 20,000 military records available for the last name Rowell. For the veterans among your Rowell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Rowell lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Rowell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Rowell in 1945 was 47, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rowell

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