Contents [hide]

Sewell History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Sewell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The lineage of the name Sewell begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived in any of the places named Sewell, Showell, Seawell, and Sywell in England. Sewell is a local surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. There are a variety of types of local surnames, some of which include: topographic surnames, which could be given to a person who lived beside any physical feature, such as a hill, stream, church or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties. It is also possible that the surname Sewell is a patronymic surname, which derives from the Old English given name Siwal(d). This surname is composed of the elements sige, sæ and weard, which mean victory, sea, and rule, respectively.

Early Origins of the Sewell family

The surname Sewell was first found in Warwickshire where the earliest record of the name was Sewallis, a "noble Saxon" who possessed Lower Eatington before the Norman Conquest. Sewallis was an ancient personal name and was not uncommon in Saxon times. 1

Girart de Sevele was listed in Normandy in 1180 and the Rotuli Hundredorum lists Roger Sevale in England c. 1272. 2

Two references claim that four different listings of the name were found in Warwickshire the Domesday Book, our translation 3 only listed one Sewell, in Bedfordshire as land held by the King that was originally belonging to the Odecrooft hundred but Ralph Taillebois added it to the manor of Houghton Regis with King William's consent.

Today Sewell, is a hamlet located in central Bedfordshire and is still in the Houghton Regis civil parish.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had quite a few listings for the name as a forename and as a surname: Sewallus de Cleton, Hertfordshire; Sewale de Retcote, Oxfordshire; Robert filius Sew, Norfolk; Thomas Sewald, Oxfordshire; and Godard Sewale, Cambridgeshire. 4

Early History of the Sewell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sewell research. Another 166 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1257, 1366, 1393, 1643, 1652, 1654, 1667, 1671, 1674, 1676, 1688, 1701, 1720 and 1730 are included under the topic Early Sewell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sewell Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Sewell has undergone many spelling variations, including Sewell, Shewel, Sewel, Sewall, Shewall, Shewal and many more.

Early Notables of the Sewell family

Distinguished members of the family include

Samuel Sewall (1652-1730), was "a colonist and judge, son of Henry Sewall and Jane, daughter of Stephen Dummer, born at Bishopstoke, Hampshire. Emigrating in childhood with his parents to Newbury, Mas...

Sewell Ranking

In the United States, the name Sewell is the 1,255^th most popular surname with an estimated 24,870 people with that name. 5 However, in the United Kingdom, the name Sewell is ranked the 754^th most popular surname with an estimated 8,858 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Sewell family to Ireland

Some of the Sewell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sewell migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Sewell were among those contributors:

Sewell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Sewell, who settled in Virginia in 1637
John Sewell, who settled in Virginia in 1639
Thomas Sewell, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1649 7
John Sewell, who landed in Maryland in 1651 7
Richard Sewell, who arrived in Virginia in 1651 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sewell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Gerard Sewell, who landed in Virginia in 1703 7
Philip Sewell, aged 7, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1772 7
Thomas Sewell, who settled in Virginia in 1773
Charles and John Sewell, who settled in Maryland in 1774

Sewell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Geo W Sewell, who landed in New York, NY in 1812 7
George N Sewell, aged 21, who arrived in New York in 1812 7
Edward, James, Phillip, Thomas, and William Sewell all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1870
J A Sewell, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 7
L R Sewell, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sewell Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. Sydney Sewell, (b. 1883), aged 21, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "Baltic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 2nd September 1904 en route to Silverton, Colorado, USA 8

Sewell migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sewell Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Diano Sewell, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Mary Sewell, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Robert Sewell, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Mr. Jonathan Sewell U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 9
Mr. Nicholas Sewell U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 9

Sewell Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mr. Edward Sewell, aged 26 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Gilmour" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in June 1847 10
Mr. Edward Sewell who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Syria" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in 1847 10
Mr. Patrick Sewell who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Syria" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in 1847 10
W Sewell, who arrived in Victoria, British Columbia in 1862

Sewell migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Sewell Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Mr. Edward Sewell, English convict who was convicted in Essex, England for life, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11

Sewell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Sewell, English convict from Northampton, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on July 3, 1822, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 12
Mr. John Sewell, (b. 1790), aged 33, British Convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for life for burglary, transported aboard the "Commodore Hayes" in April 1823, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 13
Mr. John Sewell, (b. 1811), aged 19, English ploughman who was convicted in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England for life for house breaking, transported aboard the "Clyde" on 20th August 1830, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 14
Mr. William Sewell, (b. 1806), aged 24, English ploughman who was convicted in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England for life for house breaking, transported aboard the "Clyde" on 20th August 1830, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 14
William Sewell, English convict from Norfolk, who was transported aboard the "Anna Maria" on March 6, 1848, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sewell migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Sewell Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. H Sewell, Australian settler travelling from Hobart, Tasmania, Australia aboard the ship "Brazil Packet" arriving in New Zealand in 1833 16
Mr. H. Sewell, Cornish settler travelling from Launceston, UK aboard the ship "Brazil Packet" arriving in New Zealand in 1836 16
Mr. Sewell, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gipsey" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 25th October 1854, en-route to Wellington 16
Mrs. Sewell, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gipsey" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 25th October 1854, en-route to Wellington 16
Mr. William Sewell, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gipsey" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 25th October 1854, en-route to Wellington 16
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Sewell (post 1700) +

Jonathan Sewell U.E. (1766-1839), American-born United Empire Loyalist, lawyer, judge and politician, Chief Justice of Lower Canada, son of Jonathan Sewell (1728–1796), the last attorney-general of Massachusetts
Stephen Sewell U.E. (1770-1832), American United Empire Loyalist who became a lawyer and politician in Lower Canada
Harley Edward Sewell (1931-2011), American NFL football guard
Elyse Marie Sewell (b. 1982), American fashion model from Albuquerque, New Mexico
Edward Granville Sewell, American mathematician and university professor, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Texas
William Hamilton Sewell (1909-2001), American sociologist and the Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1967-1968
Sicily Sewell (b. 1985), American actress
Joe Sewell (1898-1990), American baseball player
Benjamin Sewell, American politician, Member of Kentucky State Senate, 1906-09 17
Arthur E. Sewell, American Republican politician, Maine Republican State Chair, 1937 17
... (Another 35 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Sewell family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Gilbert W Sewell (b. 1908), English Marine serving for the Royal Marine from Malvern, Worcestershire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 18

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 54)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Arab voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1822 with 155 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/arab/1822
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th March 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/commodore-hayes
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clyde
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Anna Maria voyage to Van Diemen's Land or Port Phillip, Australia in 1848 with 190 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/anna-maria/1848
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm