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

Sowell, 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 Sowell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sowell in America

Sowell is the 3696th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sowell surname appeared 9,612 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 Sowell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sowell 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 Sowell

The surname Sowell is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words 'sol' meaning muddy or marshy, and 'well' meaning a spring or stream, indicating that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a muddy spring or stream.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which records a person named Sewellus residing in Lincolnshire. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show variations of the spelling such as Sowell, Sewelle, and Sewell appearing in various parts of England, including Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Norfolk.

Notable early bearers of the name include John Sowell, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset in 1197. Another early record is of William Sewell, who was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Sowell became more widespread across England, with several families establishing themselves in various counties. One prominent figure was Thomas Sowell, a merchant from Bristol who lived from 1558 to 1638.

In the 18th century, the name Sowell was associated with several places, such as Sowell Farm in Oxfordshire and Sowell Green in Kent. This further reinforces the connection between the name and geographic locations associated with muddy or marshy areas.

Among the notable individuals bearing the name Sowell throughout history are:

1. William Sowell (1617-1695), an English mathematician and astronomer.
2. Mary Sowell (1720-1798), an American pioneer and early settler in Tennessee.
3. John Sowell (1782-1856), a British naval officer and explorer.
4. Thomas Sowell (1930-), an American economist, social theorist, and author.
5. Amber Sowell (1989-), an American professional basketball player.

While the surname Sowell has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the Old English language, reflecting the geographic features associated with the name's early bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sowell

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

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

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

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