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

Vowell, 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 Vowell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vowell in America

Vowell is the 13057th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vowell surname appeared 2,351 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 Vowell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vowell 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 Vowell

The surname Vowell is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the Old English words "vowel" or "vowell," which referred to a person who sold or dealt in fowl, such as chickens, geese, and other poultry. This name was likely an occupational surname, indicating the profession or trade of the family.

The earliest recorded instances of this surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of England, particularly in counties like Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of land ownership and taxation, the name appears as "Vowell" and "Vowel."

One of the earliest known individuals to bear this surname was Robert Vowell, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1327. Another notable example is Thomas Vowell, a merchant and alderman in the city of Oxford, who lived in the late 14th century.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, variations of the spelling emerged, including "Vowle," "Voule," and "Vowles." These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the way the name was pronounced in different areas.

In the Domesday Book, a historical record compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror, there are no direct references to the surname Vowell. However, it does mention several place names that may have been associated with the surname's origins, such as Vowchurch in Herefordshire and Vowley in Berkshire.

One notable individual with the surname Vowell was John Vowell, also known as John Hooker (c. 1524-1601), an English historian and antiquarian who wrote several works on the history of Exeter and Devon. Another was Samuel Vowell (c. 1597-1646), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Suffolk.

Other individuals with this surname include Elizabeth Vowell (c. 1600-1676), an English Puritan author and religious writer, and John Vowell (c. 1575-1632), a Member of Parliament from Gloucestershire during the reign of King James I.

While the surname Vowell is not among the most common surnames in England, it has a rich history and can be traced back to the medieval period, reflecting the occupational origins of many English surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vowell

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

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

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

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