The Purnell surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 8,441 people carried this name — #4,197 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 35,000 people counted. That is up 9% from 7,725 in 2000.

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Where the name comes from

The origin of the Purnell surname

Variant of Parnell.

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

In the first U.S. census, 1790

66 families named Purnell, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 356 people lived in those households, 5.4 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 10 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

Maryland 32
North Carolina 16
South Carolina 11
Virginia 4
Massachusetts 2
Pennsylvania 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. 258 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Purnell in American newspapers,
1904–1927.

Newspaper page from The News & Observer carrying the name Purnell
The News & Observer 1904-06-01
Newspaper page from New Britain Herald carrying the name Purnell
New Britain Herald 1927-12-19
Newspaper page from The News & Observer carrying the name Purnell
The News & Observer 1904-06-03

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 51,672 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Purnell in Australian newspapers,
1810s–1990s.

13,992 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Purnell. The most, 2,872, date from the 1920s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 1.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 5,215
New South Wales 3,828
Queensland 2,598
South Australia 872
Western Australia 646
ACT (Canberra) 515
Tasmania 241
Northern Territory 4

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

Who carried it

People named Purnell,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Charles Purnell
    Charles Purnell 1843–1926 · lawyer
  • Mary Stallard Purnell
    Mary Stallard Purnell 1862–1953 · writer
  • Ernest Purnell
    Ernest Purnell 1866–1954 · politician
  • Annie Purnell d. 1949
  • Elizabeth Susan Young d. 1925
  • Benjamin Purnell 1740–1796

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 Purnell,
in the records of 5 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 States645 records

645 records of the Purnell name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 285
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 142
  • Other U.S. records 218
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Dallas H. Purnell

    Born 1921 in Maryland. Enlisted 1942 at Baltimore, from Worcester County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1995, buried at Garrison Forest Veterans Cemetery, Owings Mills, Maryland.

    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 John Purnell

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Chicago from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 38; farmer. From London, England; bound for New York.

    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 Adrian Floyd Purnell

    Born 1940; from Miami, Florida. U.S. Air Force; died in an accident 1966 in Gia Dinh, South Vietnam.

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

Showing 3 of 645 records for Purnell in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (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); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia319 records

319 records of the Purnell name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 176
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 70
  • Other Australian records 73
  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 Robert Purnell

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Hadlow, arriving 1818; ticket of leave 1825. Native of London.

    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 Charlotte Purnell

    Arrived in Victoria in 1859 aboard the Swiftsure, aged 22; 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 Ronald Douglas Purnell

    Law clerk of Newtown, Victoria; died 1979.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 319 records for Purnell 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) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · 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).

Canada18 records

18 records of the Purnell name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 10
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 3
  • Other Canadian records 5
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Bernand Rodney Purnell

    Buried in 1964 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 52.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record James Thomas Purnell

    Married 1868 in Pictou, Nova Scotia.

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

    Died in service in 1917.

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

Showing 3 of 18 records for Purnell 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. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom15 records

15 records of the Purnell name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 13
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 1
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Robert Gibbon Purnell

    Will proved in 1922; of Portmadoc, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Purnell

    Buried in 1826 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 70.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record S. Purnell

    Corporal, London 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 15 records for Purnell 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. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand14 records

14 records of the Purnell name in New Zealand
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 10
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret Ann Purnell

    Died 2000, aged 82; buried at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Lilly May Purnell

    Died 1920, aged 43; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Caroline Harriett Purnell

    Died 1947, aged 56; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 14 records for Purnell in New Zealand.

Counts: Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · 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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Purnell.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Purnell 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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