Bagwell
An English surname most likely from Bakewell, a Derbyshire place name, or from a related local-name spelling that shifted over time.
The #3,460 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 29,906 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Bagwell is usually treated as a variant or altered form of Bakewell. In the older surname dictionaries, Bagwell is linked to Bakewell, the Derbyshire place name, rather than to a separate word or occupation. Bakewell itself is generally explained as an Old English place name, though the exact first element has long been debated.
History
Historical surname writers in the 19th century grouped Bagwell with Bakewell and similar locative surnames, suggesting that the name arose from a place-name spelling or pronunciation shift. The surname later appears in Britain and in English-speaking records more broadly. It is not among the most common English surnames, but it has established use in the United States and elsewhere.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century surname books sometimes treated Bagwell as a spelling cousin of Bakewell rather than a fully separate surname.
From the historical record
“merly owned by a family of the same name. BAGWELL. Bakewell, CO. Derby? BAILEY. BAILY. 1. From Bailli, in the arrondissement of Neufchatel ; Bailli in that of Dieppe, in Normandy; Bailey, a township in Lancashire ; or Bailie, a town- ship in Cumberland. 2. Another form of bailiff, a title of office applied in many…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom