The Colwell surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 10,140 people carried this name — #3,518 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 29,100 people counted. That is up 1% from 10,081 in 2000.

Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Colwell surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Colville’.

An early record he cites: John Colwelle, Somerset, 1327–28 (1 Edward III) — Kirby's Quest (Somerset).

His entry covers Colville, Colvile, Colwell and Colwill.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 197 · public domain.

In print

Colwell in American newspapers,
1892–1903.

Newspaper page from The News & Observer carrying the name Colwell
The News & Observer 1903-02-01
Newspaper page from The Salt Lake Herald carrying the name Colwell
The Salt Lake Herald 1903-01-25
Newspaper page from The Cheyenne Daily Leader carrying the name Colwell
The Cheyenne Daily Leader 1892-11-10

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 49,217 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Colwell in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1980s.

8,734 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Colwell. The most, 1,544, date from the 1930s. New South Wales 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 the Australian Capital Territory, at 2.1 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 4,015
Queensland 1,497
Victoria 1,289
South Australia 1,133
Tasmania 543
ACT (Canberra) 166
Western Australia 64
Northern Territory 5

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

Who carried it

People named Colwell,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Stephen Colwell
    Stephen Colwell 1800–1871 · writer
  • Diana Jane Evelyn Morley d. 1886
  • Susanna Anlaby 1668–1715
  • Otis Colwell 1795– · politician
  • Oliver Colwell 1834–1872
  • Oliver Colwell 1834–1862

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 9 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Colwell,
in the records of 6 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 States1,205 records

1,205 records of the Colwell name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 372
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 349
  • Other U.S. records 484
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Alison D. Colwell

    Born 1904 in Texas. Enlisted 1942 at Camp Livingston, Louisiana; civil engineer. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1974, buried at Houston National Cemetery, Texas.

    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 Pat Colwell

    Arrived at New York in 1884 aboard the City of Chicago from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 19; laborer. From Longford, Ireland; bound for New Jersey.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Paul Colwell

    Born 1932; from Toulouse, Kentucky. U.S. Navy, boatswain's mate; died in service 1970 in Kien Giang, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,205 records for Colwell in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · 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) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). 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); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia208 records

208 records of the Colwell name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 86
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 69
  • Other Australian records 53
  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 Peter Colwell

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Mount Stewart Elphinstone, sailing from London in 1845. Native of Southwark, Surrey.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Edward Colwell

    Arrived in Victoria in 1855 aboard the British Trident, aged 22; Irish.

    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 Hedley Colwell

    Former school teacher of Staghorn Flat, Victoria; died 1941.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 208 records for Colwell in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). 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).

Canada171 records

171 records of the Colwell name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 121
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 13
  • Other Canadian records 37
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Wm Colwell

    Came to Ontario in 1881 aboard the Polynesian, landing at Quebec, bound for Kincardine, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Glenell Colwell

    Buried in 1982 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 81.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Margaret Colwell

    Died 1871 in Cornwallis, Kings, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 171 records for Colwell in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom10 records

10 records of the Colwell name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 7
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 2
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Colwell

    Buried in 1800 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 33.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. 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 Joan Colwell

    Will proved in 1924.

    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 L. W. Colwell

    Corporal, Machine Gun Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 10 records for Colwell in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). 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).

Netherlands3 records

3 records of the Colwell name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 2
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Sarah Katherine Colwell

    Married in 1926 in Winterswijk.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Frederick Nelson Colwell

    In the population register of 's-Gravenhage; born in Londen.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Colwell 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); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Colwell name in New Zealand Marlborough District cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record George Emerson Colwell

    Died 1909, aged 20; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record James Colwell

    Died 1929, aged 78; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Marlborough District 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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Colwell.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Colwell 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.

See the Colwell volume
Scroll to Top