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Thelwell Family History

Thelwell Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Thelwall (Cheshire) which derives from Old English thel ‘board plank plank bridge’.

It combines two elements: thel, meaning 'board plank' or 'plank bridge', and wēl, meaning 'deep pool'.

Over time, the name was later confused with wella, which means 'well', 'spring', or 'stream'.

This evolution reflects the linguistic changes and interpretations that occur with place names.

Thelwall's rich historical context is rooted in its etymology, connecting it to the landscape and water features of the area.

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


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Where is the Thelwell family from?

You can see how Thelwell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thelwell family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1891 and 1920. The most Thelwell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 137 Thelwell families living in Cheshire. This was about 49% of all the recorded Thelwell's in United Kingdom. Cheshire had the highest population of Thelwell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thelwell 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 Thelwell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Cowman and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Thelwell. 32% of Thelwell men worked as a Cowman and 82% of Thelwell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Thelwell were Rolling Mill Steel and Housewife.

View Census Data for Thelwell | 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.

England shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Cowman
    32%
  • Incapacitated
    19%
  • Dairyman
    13%
  • Rolling Mill Steel
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Domestic Servant
    5%
  • Domestic Duties
    4%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Thelwell family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Thelwell

Passenger Lists

There are 30,000 immigration records available for the last name Thelwell. 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 Thelwell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 406 military records available for the last name Thelwell. For the veterans among your Thelwell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Thelwell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Thelwell family history

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What is the average Thelwell lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2002, in the United States, Thelwell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1968, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Thelwell in 1963 was 77, and 95 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thelwell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Thelwell 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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