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

Crowell, 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 Crowell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Crowell in America

Crowell is the 2071st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Crowell surname appeared 17,467 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Crowell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Crowell 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 Crowell

The surname Crowell originated in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the late 12th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "cru" (meaning "pen" or "enclosure") and "well" (meaning a source of water or a spring), suggesting it may have initially referred to someone living near a fenced-in spring or well.

One of the earliest references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mention a person named Reginald de Crouwell. This spelling variation suggests the name may have evolved from a place name, possibly a location with a fenced-in well or spring.

In the 13th century, the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire recorded a William de Crouwell, providing further evidence of the name's early existence in different parts of England. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also listed a John Crowell, showcasing the gradual transition towards the more modern spelling.

One notable historical figure with the surname Crowell was Andrew Crowell (c. 1592-1672), an early American settler who arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s and became a prominent landowner and community leader in the town of Yarmouth. His descendants played a role in the American Revolutionary War.

Another significant individual was Samuel Crowell (1635-1725), a Quaker preacher and author from Pennsylvania, who wrote several influential religious works and helped establish the Society of Friends in the Delaware Valley region.

In the 18th century, John Crowell (1735-1816) was a distinguished soldier who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and later became a prominent judge in New York.

Towards the end of the 19th century, John Franklin Crowell (1857-1947) was a successful American publisher and founded the Crowell Publishing Company, which played a significant role in the publishing industry for many decades.

Lastly, Edward Payson Crowell (1830-1901) was a notable American lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as the United States Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under President Ulysses S. Grant and later as the Chief of the Bureau of Statistics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Crowell

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

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

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

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