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Colwells Family History

Colwells 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: Colwell, Cowell, Corwell, Olwell, Colella, Coldwell, Howells, Folwell

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Colwells family from?

You can see how Colwells families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Colwells family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Colwells families were found in USA in 1880, USA in 1920, and Scotland in 1901. In 1880 there was 1 Colwells family living in Rhode Island. This was 100% of all the recorded Colwells's in USA. Rhode Island had the highest population of Colwells families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Colwells 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 Colwells family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 28 census records available for the last name Colwells. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Colwells census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Colwells

Passenger Lists

There are 2 immigration records available for the last name Colwells. 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 Colwells immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1 military records available for the last name Colwells. For the veterans among your Colwells ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Colwells military records

You've only scratched the surface of Colwells family history

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What is the average Colwells lifespan?

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Colwells 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.

Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Colwells

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