Cowell Family History
Cowell Name Meaning
Irish and Manx: shortened form of McCawell an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Cathmhaoil ‘son of Cathmhaol’ (literally ‘battle chief’). Compare Caulfield . Alternatively a shortened form of Gaelic Mac (Giolla) Comhghaill ‘son of (the devotee of) Saint Comhghal’. Compare Cool . Irish: shortened form of McCool . English: habitational name from any of the places in Lancashire and Gloucestershire called Cowhill from Old English cū ‘cow’ + hyll ‘hill’ or from Cowleigh Park in Worcestershire. The modern pronunciation rhymes with trowell. English: variant of Cole in many English counties especially Essex with a similar pronunciation to either coal or Noel. Americanized form of Polish and perhaps also Rusyn (from Poland) or Jewish (from Poland) Kowal ‘blacksmith’.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022