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Portell Family History

Portell Name Meaning

Catalan: probably a habitational name from any of the places in Girona and Lleida provinces called Portell from a diminutive of porta ‘gate’.

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


Similar surnames: Portella, Morell, Portela, Portelli, Norvell, Bortell, Hartell

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Portell family from?

You can see how Portell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Portell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Portell families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 3 Portell families living in Ontario. This was 100% of all the recorded Portell's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Portell families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Portell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Portell ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Miner and Waitress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Portell. 38% of Portell men worked as a Miner and 22% of Portell women worked as a Waitress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Portell were Farmer and Cook. .

View Census Data for Portell | 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

  • Miner
    38%
  • Laborer
    31%
  • Truck Driver
    12%
  • Farmer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Waitress
    22%
  • Maid
    22%
  • Seamstress
    15%
  • Cook
    15%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Portell family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Portell

Passenger Lists

There are 362 immigration records available for the last name Portell. 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 Portell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 387 military records available for the last name Portell. For the veterans among your Portell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Portell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Portell family history

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What is the average Portell lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Portell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1979, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Portell in 1961 was 74, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Portell

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