Canwell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Canwell

What does the name Canwell mean?

Canwell is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Canwell family lived in Staffordshire. The name refers, however, not to a location in England, but to Chenel (now Cheneau), near Lille, France.

Early Origins of the Canwell family

The surname Canwell was first found in Staffordshire where they were granted the lands of Canwell. They were descended from Robert Bourdet, Lords of Cuilly, in Normandy. At the Norman Conquest Robert and Hugh Bourdet settled in Leicestershire. At the Battle of Fraga in 1133 at the head of his Norman cavalry he rescued Alfonso, the King of Aragon. Walter his brother witnessed the foundation of Canwell and they became Constables of Kenilworth in 1309.

Early History of the Canwell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Canwell research. Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Canwell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Canwell Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Cannell, Canwell and others.

Early Notables of the Canwell family

More information is included under the topic Early Canwell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Canwell migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Canwell or a variant listed above:

Canwell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Canwell, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1631 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Canwell (post 1700) +

William Canwell, Engineer and Educator

Sources +

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)