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

Nowell, 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 Nowell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nowell in America

Nowell is the 5676th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nowell surname appeared 6,112 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Nowell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nowell 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 Nowell

The surname NOWELL originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "noël" or "noel," meaning "Christmas." This name was initially given as a nickname to someone born around the Christmas holiday or who had a particular association with the festive season.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name NOWELL can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which mentions a person named Simon Noel. Another early reference appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, listing a William Nowell.

The NOWELL surname is also linked to various place names in England, such as Nowell in Derbyshire and Nowell Green in Lancashire. These locations likely took their names from individuals bearing the NOWELL surname who resided there.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, several notable individuals carried the NOWELL surname. One of the most prominent was Alexander Nowell (1507-1602), an English theologian and clergyman who served as the Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London. He played a significant role in the Reformation and contributed to the development of the English Prayer Book.

Another distinguished NOWELL was Laurence Nowell (1516-1576), an antiquarian and historian who made significant contributions to the study of Anglo-Saxon literature and language. He was also the Dean of Lichfield Cathedral.

In the 17th century, Robert Nowell (1589-1675) was a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament. He served as the High Sheriff of Lancashire and was known for his involvement in local politics.

Later, in the 18th century, Ralph Nowell (1730-1794) was a notable English landowner and Member of Parliament representing the borough of Wigan. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant of Lancashire.

Another individual of note was John Nowell (1768-1840), an English clergyman and author who wrote several works on theology and church history.

Throughout history, the NOWELL surname has been associated with various professions, including the clergy, academia, politics, and landed gentry. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nowell

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

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

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

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