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

Colwell, 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 Colwell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Colwell in America

Colwell is the 3518th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Colwell surname appeared 10,140 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Colwell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Colwell 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 Colwell

The surname Colwell has its origins in England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "col" meaning coal and "well" referring to a spring or stream, indicating that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a coal-colored stream or spring.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mention a person named Robert de Colewell. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the name, but it does mention places like Colwell in Bedfordshire and Caldewell in Staffordshire, which may have been the places of origin for some early bearers of the name.

In the 13th century, the name appeared with various spellings such as Colewelle, Collewelle, and Colewell, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. One notable bearer of the name during this period was John de Colwell, who was recorded as a landowner in Oxfordshire in 1279.

By the 14th century, the name had spread to other parts of England, with records showing Colwells in counties like Derbyshire and Warwickshire. One prominent individual with this surname was William Colwell, a wealthy merchant from Bristol who lived in the late 14th century and was involved in trade with Ireland and the continent.

The 15th and 16th centuries saw the emergence of various branches of the Colwell family across England. In 1487, a John Colwell was recorded as a member of the Guild of St. Mary in Boston, Lincolnshire. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Colwell, a courtier and member of the Privy Council during the reign of Elizabeth I in the late 16th century.

As the centuries progressed, the Colwell name continued to be found in various parts of England, with some bearers of the name making their mark in different fields. In the 18th century, Samuel Colwell was a renowned clockmaker in London, while in the 19th century, Thomas Colwell was a prominent architect who designed several churches and public buildings in Gloucestershire.

Throughout its history, the surname Colwell has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, merchants, artisans, and professionals. While the name originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and settlement patterns, carrying with it a rich heritage and a connection to the coal-colored streams of its distant past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Colwell

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

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 Colwell 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 Colwell 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 Colwell was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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