Oswell Family History

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Oswell Name Meaning

English: of uncertain origin, possibly a habitational name, of which the second element appears to be Old English well(a) ‘spring’, ‘creek’. The first element may be a short form of an Old English personal name containing the element os ‘god’ (see for example Oswald) or its Old Norse cognate ás (see Osborne). However, the earliest known bearer of the name was Roger Wyswall, who was admitted as a burgess of Shrewsbury in 1450. The English name is found in various forms, including Woosall and Wossald. Irish (Ulster): adopted as an English equivalent of Gaelic Ó hEodhusa ‘descendant of Eodhus’ (see Hussey).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Doswell, Oswald, Boswell, Olwell, Sewell, Elwell, Powell, Rowell

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Oswell Family Origin

Where is the Oswell family from?

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1840
    1920
    You can see how Oswell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Oswell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Oswell families were found in the UK in 1891. In 1840 there were 3 Oswell families living in New York. This was about 33% of all the recorded Oswell's in the USA. New York had the highest population of Oswell families in 1840.
    Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Oswell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

    View Census Data for Oswell

    Oswell Family Occupations

    What did your Oswell ancestors do for a living?

    In 1880, a less common occupation for the Oswell family was Works In Cotton Mill. Keeping House, Farmer and Laborer were the top 3 reported jobs worked by Oswell. The most common Oswell occupation in the USA was Keeping House. 16% of Oswell's were Keeping Houses.

    View Census data for Oswell | Data not to scale

    • Keeping House

      16%

    • Farmer

      11%

    • Laborer

      8%

    • Works In Cotton Mill

      8%

    Census records can tell you a lot of little known facts about your Oswell ancestors, such as occupation. Occupation can tell you about your ancestor's social and economic status.

    Oswell Historical Records

    What Oswell family records will you find?

    Census Record

    There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Oswell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Oswell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

    Search 1940's US census records for Oswell

    Passenger List

    There are 642 immigration records available for the last name Oswell. 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 Oswell immigration records

    Draft Card

    There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Oswell. For the veterans among your Oswell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

    View all Oswell military records

    You've only scratched the surface of Oswell family history.

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    Oswell Life Expectancy

    What is the average Oswell lifespan?

    Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Oswell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2002, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Oswell in 1959 was 53, and 62 in 2004.

    View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Oswell

    An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Oswell ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

    Famous Oswell Family Ancestors

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