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Elwell Family History

Elwell Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Elwell in Dorset from Old English hǣl ‘omen’ or hǣle ‘hale safe’ or hǣllu ‘health healing’ + well(a) ‘spring stream’.

The reference is probably to a spring now called the Wishing Well.

Compare Halliwell.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Elwell family from?

You can see how Elwell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Elwell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Elwell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 24 Elwell families living in Ontario. This was about 49% of all the recorded Elwell's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Elwell families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Elwell 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 Elwell ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Elwell. 43% of Elwell men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Elwell women worked as a Stenographer.

View Census Data for Elwell | 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
    43%
  • Miller
    29%
  • Clerk
    29%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    100%

What Elwell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 47,000 census records available for the last name Elwell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Elwell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Elwell

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Elwell. 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 Elwell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Elwell. For the veterans among your Elwell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Elwell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Elwell family history

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What is the average Elwell lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Elwell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1987. The average life expectancy for Elwell in 1947 was 40, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Elwell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Elwell 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Elwell family tree

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