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

Towell, 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 Towell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Towell in America

Towell is the 17883rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Towell surname appeared 1,564 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Towell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Towell 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 Towell

The surname Towell originated in England and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "tawel," meaning "made of towels" or "towel-maker." The name was initially an occupational surname used to identify individuals involved in the production or trade of towels.

The earliest recorded instances of the Towell surname can be found in various medieval records, including tax rolls, parish registers, and court documents. One notable example is the appearance of the name in the Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire in 1195, where a certain Roger Tawel is mentioned.

Throughout history, the surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Towel, Towelle, Towell, and Towelle. These variations were common due to inconsistent record-keeping practices and regional dialects in earlier times.

In the 13th century, the Towell surname appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, where it was spelled as "Towail." This record provides evidence of the name's presence in different regions of England during that period.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Towell surname was John Towell, a merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, who lived from approximately 1440 to 1510. He was a prominent figure in the city's trade and civic affairs.

Another notable bearer of the Towell name was Robert Towell, a 16th-century English clergyman and author. He was born in Somerset around 1520 and served as a rector in various parishes in the region. Towell published several religious works, including a treatise on the Lord's Prayer in 1585.

In the 17th century, the Towell family established roots in the county of Wiltshire. One prominent member was Sir William Towell, a landowner and Member of Parliament for Wiltshire in the late 1600s. He played an active role in local politics and served as a Justice of the Peace.

During the 18th century, the Towell surname gained recognition in the literary world with the poet and writer James Towell. Born in London in 1720, Towell published several volumes of poetry and prose, including "The Poetical Recreations" in 1765.

Another significant figure with the Towell surname was Sir John Towell, a British naval officer and explorer who lived from 1780 to 1852. He participated in several expeditions to the Arctic regions and made significant contributions to the mapping and exploration of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

These are just a few examples of the individuals who have carried the Towell surname throughout history, showcasing its presence in various fields and regions across England and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Towell

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!