History of your Surname
Get access to Chappell family records.Start a free trial

Chappell Family History

Chappell Name Meaning

English: topographic name for someone who lived near a chapel from Middle English chapel(l)e ‘chapel’ via Old French from Late Latin capella originally a diminutive of capa ‘hood cloak’ but later transferred to the sense ‘chapel sanctuary’ with reference to the shrine at Tours where the cloak of Saint Martin was preserved as a relic.

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


Similar surnames: Schappell, Chapel, Chappelle, Channell, Kappel, Chapelle, Capelle

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Chappell family from?

You can see how Chappell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Chappell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Chappell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 45 Chappell families living in New York. This was about 22% of all the recorded Chappell's in USA. New York had the highest population of Chappell families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Chappell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Chappell ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Chappell. 19% of Chappell men worked as a Farmer and 8% of Chappell women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Chappell were Truck Driver and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Chappell | 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
    19%
  • Laborer
    17%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    8%
  • Housewife
    7%
  • Teacher
    7%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Chappell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 198,000 census records available for the last name Chappell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Chappell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Chappell

Passenger Lists

There are 14,000 immigration records available for the last name Chappell. 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.

View all Chappell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 29,000 military records available for the last name Chappell. For the veterans among your Chappell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Chappell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Chappell family history

Discover More

What is the average Chappell lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Chappell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Chappell in 1942 was 42, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Chappell

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Chappell family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Chappell last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial