Find out how popular the last name Cadwell is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Cadwell.

Cadwell, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Cadwell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cadwell in America

Cadwell is the 10638th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cadwell surname appeared 3,009 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Cadwell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cadwell to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Cadwell

The surname Cadwell is of English origin, and its earliest known roots can be traced back to the medieval period in England. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "cad" meaning "toad" and "well" referring to a water source or spring, thus suggesting that the name may have originated as a topographic surname describing someone who lived near a well or water source frequented by toads.

The Cadwell surname is found scattered throughout various historical records and manuscripts from England, such as the Pipe Rolls of Cambridgeshire from the 13th century, where a Robert de Cadewell was mentioned. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273 make reference to a John de Cadewelle, indicating the early variations in spelling of the name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Cadwell surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, where a John Cadewell was listed. This suggests that the name had already established itself as a hereditary surname by the 14th century.

Throughout the centuries, the Cadwell surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One such figure was Sir Thomas Cadwell, a prominent merchant and Member of Parliament for the city of Bristol in the late 16th century (born around 1550). Another remarkable individual bearing this surname was John Cadwell, a celebrated English architect and stonemason who lived in the early 18th century (born circa 1680) and was responsible for the construction of several iconic buildings in London.

Moving forward in time, we encounter Samuel Cadwell, a renowned British painter and portraitist who flourished during the late 18th century (born in 1760). He was renowned for his skillful depictions of aristocratic figures and landscapes.

In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook the contributions of novelist and playwright William Cadwell, who made his mark in the early 19th century (born in 1810). His works, which often explored themes of social commentary and human nature, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime.

Finally, we come to Sir Edward Cadwell, a distinguished British diplomat and statesman who served as Ambassador to several countries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (born in 1865). His diplomatic efforts and negotiation skills were highly regarded, and he played a significant role in shaping international relations during a tumultuous period in history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cadwell

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Cadwell.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Cadwell was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Cadwell has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Cadwell was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Cadwell, please contact us.

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