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Powels Family History

Powels Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Powell, Powel, Nowels, Vowels, Powers, Power, Bowes, Howell, Rowell

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Powels family from?

You can see how Powels families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Powels family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Powels families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 2 Powels families living in Ontario. This was about 67% of all the recorded Powels's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Powels families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Powels 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 Powels ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Servant were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Powels. 55% of Powels men worked as a Laborer and 18% of Powels women worked as a Servant. Some less common occupations for Americans named Powels were Farm Laborer and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Powels | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    55%
  • Farmer
    25%
  • Manager
    10%
  • Farm Laborer
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Servant
    18%
  • Cook
    18%
  • Maid
    14%
  • Housekeeper
    14%

What Powels family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Powels. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Powels census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Powels

Passenger Lists

There are 254 immigration records available for the last name Powels. 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 Powels immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 438 military records available for the last name Powels. For the veterans among your Powels ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Powels military records

You've only scratched the surface of Powels family history

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What is the average Powels lifespan?

Between 1968 and 2004, in the United States, Powels life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2003, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Powels in 1968 was 73, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Powels

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Powels ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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