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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


Similar surnames: Rowell, Colwell, Crowell, Howell, Cowgill, Covell, Bowell, Corwell

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Cowell family from?

You can see how Cowell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cowell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cowell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 245 Cowell families living in Ontario. This was about 70% of all the recorded Cowell's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Cowell families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cowell 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 Cowell ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Servant were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Cowell. 48% of Cowell men worked as a Farmer and 22% of Cowell women worked as a Servant. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cowell were Machinist and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Cowell | 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
    48%
  • Labourer
    13%
  • Laborer
    9%
  • Machinist
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Servant
    22%
  • Clerk
    18%
  • Stenographer
    14%
  • Housekeeper
    14%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Cowell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 126,000 census records available for the last name Cowell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cowell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Cowell

Passenger Lists

There are 15,000 immigration records available for the last name Cowell. 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 Cowell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Cowell. For the veterans among your Cowell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Cowell lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Cowell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Cowell in 1942 was 28, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cowell

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