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Farnell Family History

Farnell Name Meaning

English: habitational name from any of various places called from Old English fearn ‘fern’ + hyll ‘hill’ such as Farnell (Kent Wiltshire) Farnhill (Yorkshire) and Fernhill (Cheshire). In a few cases it may also derive from Farnell in Angus Scotland although the surname is not now common in Scotland.

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


Similar surnames: Farwell, Darnall, Carnell, Darnell, Farney, Arnall, Arnell, Varnell

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Where is the Farnell family from?

You can see how Farnell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Farnell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Farnell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 72 Farnell families living in Ontario. This was about 50% of all the recorded Farnell's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Farnell families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Farnell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Farnell ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Farnell. 45% of Farnell men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Farnell women worked as a Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Farnell | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    45%
  • Laborer
    28%
  • Labourer
    17%
  • Fireman
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Farnell family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Farnell

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Farnell. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Farnell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Farnell. For the veterans among your Farnell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Farnell military records

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What is the average Farnell lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Farnell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Farnell in 1956 was 56, and 87 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Farnell

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