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Olwell Family History

Olwell Surname Meaning

English: possibly a habitational name from Ulwell in Swanage Dorset named with Old English ūle ‘owl’ + wella ‘stream’.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Olwell family from?

You can see how Olwell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Olwell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Olwell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there was 1 Olwell family living in Ontario. This was about 50% of all the recorded Olwell's in Canada. Ontario and 1 other province had the highest population of Olwell families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Olwell 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 Olwell ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Olwell. 15% of Olwell men worked as a Laborer and 31% of Olwell women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Olwell were Clerk and Teacher.

View Census Data for Olwell | 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
    15%
  • Labor
    10%
  • Mechanic
    10%
  • Clerk
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    31%
  • Typist
    24%
  • Stenographer
    16%
  • Teacher
    16%

What Olwell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Olwell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Olwell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Olwell

Passenger Lists

There are 787 immigration records available for the last name Olwell. 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 Olwell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 430 military records available for the last name Olwell. For the veterans among your Olwell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Olwell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Olwell family history

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What is the average Olwell lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Olwell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1992, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Olwell in 1963 was 68, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Olwell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Olwell 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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