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Powell Family History

Powell Surname Meaning

Welsh: Anglicized form of Welsh ap Hywel ‘son of Hywel’ a personal name meaning ‘eminent’ (see Howell ). Irish: mainly of Welsh origin as in 1 above but sometimes a surname adopted as equivalent of Gaelic Mac Giolla Phóil ‘son of the servant of Saint Paul’ (see Guilfoyle ). English: variant of Paul or Poole .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Howell, Powel, Dowell, Bowell, Oswell, Rowell, Mowell, Cowell, Power

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Powell family from?

You can see how Powell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Powell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Powell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 326 Powell families living in New York. This was about 16% of all the recorded Powell's in USA. New York had the highest population of Powell families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Powell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Powell ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Powell. 17% of Powell men worked as a Farmer and 7% of Powell women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Powell were Truck Driver and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Powell | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    17%
  • Laborer
    17%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    7%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Teacher
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
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What Powell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1 million census records available for the last name Powell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Powell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Powell

Passenger Lists

There are 125,000 immigration records available for the last name Powell. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 234,000 military records available for the last name Powell. For the veterans among your Powell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Powell family history

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What is the average Powell lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Powell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Powell in 1940 was 45, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Powell

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