Norvell
A surname most likely connected to a place-name in Normandy, though some sources also treat it as a variant of a personal-name form.
The #8,817 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 83,153 Americans shares it.
Etymology
19th-century surname dictionaries usually connect Norvell with Norville, a place-name in Normandy, especially near Le Havre. In that view, the name is locational: it began as a way to identify someone from that place. One source also mentions a possible personal-name origin, so the derivation is not absolutely certain.
History
The name is recorded in British historical material, including a George Norvell of Boghall in Linlithgowshire, showing that it was established in Scotland by the early modern period. The surname later appears in English-language records with several spelling forms, including Norvall and Norvell. In the United States it remains relatively uncommon.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname books sometimes list Norvell right alongside Norval, showing how unstable spelling could be before modern standardization.
From the historical record
“and their son took the maternal name. NORVALL. NORVELL. 1. Probably from Norville in the arrondissemeut of Havre, in Normandy. 2. NoiTal, a per- sonal name. NORWICH. From the city. The founder”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom