Show ContentsRosewell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Rosewell surname is a Cornish habitation name taken on from the place name Ryswal in the parish of Towednack. The place name comes from the Cornish words "res," meaning "ford," and "wall," meaning "a rampart."

Early Origins of the Rosewell family

The surname Rosewell was first found in Somerset where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor.

Early History of the Rosewell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rosewell research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1306, 1327, 1519, 1520, 1588, 1590, 1599, 1619, 1630, 1635, 1640, 1656, 1671, 1679, 1682, 1684, 1692, 1722 and 1725 are included under the topic Early Rosewell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rosewell Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Rossell, Rosewell, Rosewall, Rosswell and others.

Early Notables of the Rosewell family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

  • William Rosewell (born about 1520), Solicitor-General to Queen Elizabeth, born in Loxton, Somerset
  • Richard Rosewell (c.1588-1640) of Dunkerton, gentleman
  • Sir Henry Rosewell (1590-1656) of Forde Abbey, Devon, English puritan
  • Reverend Thomas Rosewell (1630-1692), Minister of Rotherhithe, Surrey, born in Somerset


United States Rosewell migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rosewell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Henry Rosewell, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1629
  • John Rosewell, a servant sent to Virginia in 1661
  • Thomas Rosewell, who arrived in Virginia in 1662 1
  • William Rosewell, who landed in Maryland in 1665 1
  • Thomasin Rosewell, who was on record in Virginia in 1666
Rosewell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Sarah Rosewell, a bonded passenger, who arrived in America in 1759

Australia Rosewell migration to Australia +

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

Rosewell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Charlotte Rosewell, aged 30, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Lord Hungerford"

West Indies Rosewell migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 2
Rosewell Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Roger Rosewell, who arrived in Barbados in 1658

Contemporary Notables of the name Rosewell (post 1700) +

  • Edward J. Rosewell, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1964 (alternate), 1980 3
  • Ms. Bridget Clare Rosewell C.B.E., O.B.E. (b. 1951), born in Wimbledon, England, English Economist and Commissioner for National Infrastructure Commission, was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to the Economy by Her Majesty The Queen 4
  • Bridget Rosewell, British economist
  • John S. H. Rosewell (1882-1938), Australian rugby union and rugby league player


  1. 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)
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 29) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  4. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists


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