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Bonwell Family History

Bonwell Name Meaning

English (Yorkshire): possibly a habitational name from Bunwell in Norfolk which is named with Old English bune ‘reed’ + wella ‘spring stream’ or from a lost or unidentified place of similar name perhaps in Yorkshire such as Bonwellfelde recorded in 1548 in South Milford (Yorkshire). Alternatively the name is possibly an Anglicized form of any of numerous places in France called Bonneville. This surname is now rare in Britain.

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


Similar surnames: Banwell, Boswell, Boxwell, Bowell, Longwell, Oswell, Doswell, Foxwell

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Bonwell family from?

You can see how Bonwell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bonwell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bonwell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 17 Bonwell families living in Ontario. This was about 85% of all the recorded Bonwell's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Bonwell families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bonwell 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 Bonwell ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Bonwell. 28% of Bonwell men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Bonwell women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bonwell were Truck Driver and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Bonwell | 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

  • Farmer
    28%
  • Laborer
    22%
  • Salesman
    10%
  • Truck Driver
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    50%
  • Housekeeper
    25%
  • Teacher
    25%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Bonwell family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Bonwell

Passenger Lists

There are 237 immigration records available for the last name Bonwell. 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 Bonwell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 603 military records available for the last name Bonwell. For the veterans among your Bonwell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bonwell military records

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What is the average Bonwell lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Bonwell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1973. The average life expectancy for Bonwell in 1952 was 59, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bonwell

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