The Abell surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 7,339 people carried this name — #4,811 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 40,200 people counted. That is up 7% from 6,860 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Abell surname

Variation of Abel

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Abell» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Abel’.

An early record he cites: Richard Abel, Buckinghamshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Abel, Abell, Abells, Ableson and Able.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 38 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Abell was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland: 17 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 588. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Leicestershire and Rutland 17
Derbyshire 7

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

99 families named Abell, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 524 people lived in those households, 5.3 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 6 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Connecticut 30
Maryland 15
Pennsylvania 14
New York 12
Virginia 8
Massachusetts 7
Vermont 5
South Carolina 4
New Hampshire 3
North Carolina 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 227 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Abell in American newspapers,
1888–1915.

Newspaper page from The Barre Daily Times carrying the name Abell
The Barre Daily Times 1915-03-22
Newspaper page from The Bennington Evening Banner carrying the name Abell
The Bennington Evening Banner 1915-06-04
Newspaper page from The Cheyenne Daily Leader carrying the name Abell
The Cheyenne Daily Leader 1888-04-19

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Abell in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

10,031 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Abell. The most, 2,230, date from the 1920s. Queensland has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 3.2 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 3,978
Tasmania 1,836
South Australia 1,599
Western Australia 1,001
New South Wales 977
Victoria 608
ACT (Canberra) 23
Northern Territory 3

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Abell.

Who carried it

People named Abell,
with a public archive behind them.

  • William Abell
    William Abell 1584–1655 · businessperson
  • David Abell d. 1576 · composer
  • David Abell d. 1576 · composer
  • William Abell d. 1671
  • Jane Abell d. 2019 · activist
  • Adam Abell 1480–1540 · historian

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Abell,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States552 records

552 records of the Abell name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 241
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 98
  • Other U.S. records 213
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Benedict Abell

    Born 1914 in Kentucky. Enlisted 1943 at Louisville; millwright from Magoffin County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1985, buried at Lebanon National Cemetery, Kentucky.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Susanne Abell

    Arrived at New York in 1881 aboard the Donau from Bremen, aged 35; farmer. From Prussia, Germany.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. A U.S. Army record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864
    Example: U.S. burial record, 1864
    Burial record Ben S. Abell

    U.S. Army veteran. Born 1940, died 1997; buried at Lebanon National Cemetery, Kentucky.

    U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)

Showing 3 of 552 records for Abell in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864, U.S. National Archives (public domain).

Australia264 records

264 records of the Abell name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 82
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 79
  • Other Australian records 103
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Joseph Abell

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the John, arriving 1837; ticket of leave 1845.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record William Abell

    Arrived in Victoria in 1885 aboard the Lusitania, aged 29; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Abell

    Former public servant of Mornington, Victoria; died 1942.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 264 records for Abell in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Netherlands35 records

35 records of the Abell name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 20
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 12
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 3
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Prosper Felix Abell

    Married in 1927 in Voorburg. Died 1928 in Voorburg, aged 65.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jan Abell

    Married in 1942 in Amsterdam; "constructietekenaar".

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Fulk Abell

    Died 1955 in Deventer, aged 66.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 35 records for Abell in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Norway28 records

28 records of the Abell name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Joh R. Abell

    Census of 1910: Evensens hus Indre Sildvik Ofotbanen, Ankenes; bricklayer, born 1864 in Kristiania.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Margit Abell

    Census of 1910: Dronningensgate, Larvik; maidservant, born 1888 in Larvik.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Markus Severin Abell

    Census of 1910: Hammersborgs torv, Kristiania; bricklayer, born 1875 in Kristiania.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 3 of 28 records for Abell in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

United Kingdom13 records

13 records of the Abell name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 4
  • Welsh wills index cards 4
  • Other British records 5
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jenny Abell

    Buried in 1997 at Port Of Menteith Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 91.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record John Owen Abell

    Will proved in 1924; of Holyhead, Anglesea.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record T. Abell

    Corporal, Lincolnshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Abell in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Canada12 records

12 records of the Abell name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 4
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 4
  • Other Canadian records 4
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Elizabeth Abell

    Died 1960 in Riverton, Pictou, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record John Abell

    Died 1923; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Royston James Harding Abell

    Died in service in 1946.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 12 records for Abell in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

New Zealand1 record

1 record of the Abell name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Dorothy Monica Abell

    Died 1950, aged 34; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Finland1 record

1 record of the Abell name in Finland Finland's war dead, 1939–1945
  1. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Toivo Abell

    Born 1912 in Rautavaara; labourer. Died in 1944 during Finland's wars of 1939–1945; buried in Rautavaara.

    Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Abell.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Abell is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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