Show ContentsEwell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Ewell

What does the name Ewell mean?

The name Ewell is traditionally believed to be assigned to "children born on Christmas Day." 1 2 3 4 5

However, the noted author George Black is uncomfortable with this as he notes: " [it] does not satisfy me, but I am at present unable to offer a satisfactory interpretation in place of it. 'It is pretended that the Yuilles are descended of a son of Drumikills, born upon Yuilday. This pretension is adhered to by some of the name of Yuille, by others not.' " 1

Looking back further, we found that in Sethian Gnosticism, Youel or Yoel is an angel who is described as a male virgin who gives five revelations to protagonists Zostrianos and Allogenes during their visionary ascents to heaven.

Early Origins of the Ewell family

The surname Ewell was first found in on the Isle of Yell, in the Shetlands, but the name quickly scattered throughout due to its etymology. "Johannes Yhole was burgess of Haddington in 1374. Johannes Yhole was chaplain in Aberdeen in 1391, and Simon Youle executed a charter of sale in the same city in 1399. John Yhule one of the 'appretiatores camium' in Aberdeen in 1398 appears in 1400 and 1401 as bailie and burgess of the same city." 1

In northern England, the following passage appeared in the "curious old dictionary of Blount, called Glassographia: 'In Yorkshire and our other northern parts, they have an old custome after sermon or service on Christmas day; the people will, even in churches, cry Ule, Ule as a token of rejoicing, and the common sort run about the streets singing: 'Ule, Ule, Ule; Three puddings in a pule; Crack nuts and cry Ule.'" 4

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 include an entry for Robertus Youle as holding lands there at that time. 2

Early History of the Ewell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ewell research. Another 303 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1430, 1451, 1494, 1503, 1516, 1525, 1550, 1551, 1553, 1577, 1578, 1595, 1608, 1612, 1641, 1655, 1659, 1686, 1711, 1816, 1820 and 1889 are included under the topic Early Ewell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ewell Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Yell, Yul, Yuel, Yule, Youll, Yuile, Yuill, Yulle and others.

Early Notables of the Ewell family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was Henry Youll (fl. 1608), English musician who seems to have been a household musician in the family of one Edward Bacon, and teacher of his four sons, about the beginning of...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ewell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ewell Ranking

In the United States, the name Ewell is the 6,230th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 6


Ewell migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ewell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Henry Ewell, who landed in New England in 1634-1635 7
  • Edward Ewell, from Sandwich, who landed in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Hercules" 7
  • Han Ewell, who arrived in New England in 1634 7
  • Hen Ewell, who arrived in New England in 1635 7
  • John Ewell, who landed in Newbury, Massachusetts in 1686 7
Ewell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Thomas Ewell, who arrived in New England in 1735 7
Ewell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • W Ewell, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Ewell (post 1700) +

  • Henry Norwood "Barney" Ewell (1918-1996), American gold and two-time silver medalist at the 1948 Summer Olympics
  • Marshall Davis Ewell (1844-1928), American lawyer and author
  • George W. Ewell (1850-1910), American Major League Baseball player who played one game for the Cleveland Forest Citys in 1871
  • Tom Ewell (1909-1994), born Samuel Yewell Tompkins, an American Golden Globe Award winning actor, best known for his roles in The Seven Year Itch (1955), Adam's Rib (1949) and Baretta (1975)
  • Dwight Ewell, American actor, known for his roles in Chasing Amy (1997), Dogma (1999) and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)
  • Kayla Noelle Ewell (b. 1985), American actress, known for her roles in The Bold and the Beautiful (1987), The Demented (2013) and Fired Up! (2009)
  • Lieutenant-General Richard Stoddert Ewell (1817-1872), United States Army officer and a Confederate general under Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee, known for his actions at the Battle of Gettysburg and at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
  • Lois Ewell (b. 1885), American opera singer and Broadway performer
  • Benjamin Stoddert Ewell (1810-1894), United States and Confederate army officer, civil engineer, and educator
  • Don Ewell (1916-1983), American jazz stride pianist
  • ... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

USS Arizona
  • Mr. Alfred Adam Ewell, American Water Tender First Class working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 8


The Ewell Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Numine et virtute
Motto Translation: By God's providence and by virtue.


  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  4. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  5. Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. 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)
  8. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html


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