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Motherwell Family History

Motherwell Name Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from Motherwell in Lanarkshire. The placename derives from Older Scots moder ‘mother the Virgin Mary’ + welle ‘well spring’.

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


Similar surnames: Fothergill, Rothermel, Rothwell, Bothwell, Cotterell, Wetherell

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Motherwell family from?

You can see how Motherwell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Motherwell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Motherwell families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1911 there were 13 Motherwell families living in Ontario. This was about 65% of all the recorded Motherwell's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Motherwell families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Motherwell 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 Motherwell ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Motherwell. 47% of Motherwell men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Motherwell women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Motherwell were Labourer and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Motherwell | 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
    47%
  • Contractor
    24%
  • Moulder
    16%
  • Labourer
    16%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Teacher
    50%
  • Clerk
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Motherwell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Motherwell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Motherwell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Motherwell

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Motherwell. 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 Motherwell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 736 military records available for the last name Motherwell. For the veterans among your Motherwell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Motherwell military records

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What is the average Motherwell lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Motherwell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1979, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Motherwell in 1964 was 75, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Motherwell

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