The given name Cornell is derived from the Middle English surname "Cornewaile" or "Cornwayle", which referred to someone from the county of Cornwall in the southwest of England. The name itself can be traced back to the Old English words "corn" meaning "grain" and "walh" meaning "stranger" or "foreigner". This likely referred to the people of Celtic descent who inhabited the region and may have spoken a language distinct from the Anglo-Saxons.

The name Cornell first started appearing in historical records in the 13th and 14th centuries, often in reference to people who hailed from Cornwall. One of the earliest recorded examples is a mention of a Reginald de Cornewaile in the Pipe Rolls of 1202, which were financial records kept by the English Crown.

In terms of notable historical figures with the given name Cornell, one of the most prominent was Cornell Jacobsen (1592-1669), a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his still life works featuring fruits, flowers, and tableware. Another was Cornell Musselman (1767-1830), an early American settler and farmer who established the town of Musselman, West Virginia.

A more recent figure was Cornell Woolrich (1903-1968), an American novelist and short story writer who was a prolific author of crime fiction and noir stories. His works were frequently adapted for film and television, and he is widely regarded as a pioneer of the noir genre.

In the field of academia, Cornell Rhodes (1914-2005) was a notable American physicist who made significant contributions to the development of radar technology during World War II and later worked on the Manhattan Project.

Finally, Cornell Gunter (1938-2011) was an American rhythm and blues singer and songwriter who co-wrote several hit songs for artists like The Coasters and The Platters in the 1950s and 1960s.

While the name Cornell has its origins in England and may have been associated with people from Cornwall, it has since been adopted and used by individuals across various cultures and backgrounds throughout history.