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

Cornwell, 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 Cornwell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cornwell in America

Cornwell is the 2950th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cornwell surname appeared 12,168 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Cornwell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cornwell 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 Cornwell

The surname Cornwell has its origins in England, tracing back to the 12th century. It is a locational surname derived from the Old English words "corn" meaning grain and "well" referring to a spring or stream, indicating that the name likely originated from a place where grain was grown near a water source.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Berkshire in 1176, where it is listed as "Cornuuelle." This document suggests that the name was already established in the region during the 12th century.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not directly mention the surname Cornwell, but it does list several places with names containing the element "corn," such as Cornwood in Devon and Cornhill in London, indicating the prevalence of these place names in England at the time.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various records with variations in spelling, including "Cornewelle," "Cornuell," and "Cornualle." These variations reflect the evolution of the name over time and the regional differences in pronunciation and spelling.

One notable figure associated with the name Cornwell was Sir John Cornwell (c. 1470-1536), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Somerset during the reign of Henry VIII. He was known for his involvement in local affairs and his service to the Crown.

Another individual with the surname was Thomas Cornwell (1555-1625), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Taunton and wrote several religious works during the Elizabethan era.

In the 17th century, the name appears in the records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where families such as the Cornwells from Devonshire settled in the New World, bringing their surname with them.

During the 18th century, Edward Cornwell (1768-1831) was a notable English painter known for his landscapes and portraits. He exhibited his works at the Royal Academy and was highly regarded in his time.

In the 19th century, Frances Cornwell (1828-1894) was a British author and poet who wrote several novels and collections of poetry, contributing to the literary culture of the Victorian era.

The Cornwell surname has been associated with various places throughout England, including Cornwell in Oxfordshire, Cornwell Manor in Gloucestershire, and Cornwell Farm in Warwickshire, reflecting the locational origins of the name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cornwell

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

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

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

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