Newell
A surname usually linked to a place-name meaning “at the new hall,” though some writers also suggested French place-name origins.
The #1,064 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 9,382 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The strongest traditional explanation treats Newell as a locational surname from Newhall, meaning someone who lived “at the new hall.” That makes it a habitational name built from Old English elements for “new” and “hall.” Some 19th-century surname writers also linked it with French place-names such as Nieul, but the English Newhall explanation is the standard one in the older dictionaries.
History
Bardsley and Lower both connect Newell with Newhall place-names in England, especially in counties such as Chester and York. The spelling has varied over time, with forms like Newall and Newhall appearing alongside Newell. It is well established in Britain and later became common in the United States, where the name is found in significant numbers.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Several older surname dictionaries treat Newell as simply a spelling variant of Newall, rather than a separate name.
From the historical record
“NEWDIG ATE. See Newdegate. NEWELL. SeeNewall. NEWENTON. See Newington. NEWHAM. Townships in Northumber- land. NEAYHOUSE. A name common to many localities. NEWINGTON. Parishes and places in cos. Kent, Oxon, Gloucest., Surrey, Middle-”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom