Surname Cowdell - Meaning and Origin

Cowdell: What does the surname Cowdell mean?

The last name Cowdell can be traced back to the surname Coudelle, an English/French toponymic surname derived from the Norman town of Coudeleville. The toponym Coudeleville is derived from the Old French coud - meaning “bend”, and ville - meaning “town”. Therefore, the name Coudelle literally translates to “town of the bend”.

The surname Cowdell is a variant form of Coudelle, derived from an earlier Anglo-Norman spelling of the original French name. The old English spelling of Coudelle would have been rendered as Cowdell in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.

The Cowdells of England are believed to be the descendants of William de Coudeles, a Norman landowner who was recorded in the general taxation list for Kent in the year 1274. Since then, the name has undergone a variety of phonetic and orthographic changes, eventually leading to the modern spelling of Cowdell.

Today, the Cowdell family can be found all over England, with the surname Cowdell ranking well within the Top 200 list of most popular surname in the UK. The surname is also still extremely popular in its native Northamptonshire, where it is the 92nd most popular family name.

The Cowdell name is derived from the Old French coud, meaning “bend”, which creates a strong sense of connection to the land and its history for the Cowdell family.

Cowdell: Where does the name Cowdell come from?

The last name Cowdell is believed to have originated from a place name in England. Today, Cowdell is a common last name in many English-speaking countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United States. In England, it is particularly common in counties such as Kent, Sussex, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk. A surname search of the England and Wales Census in 2011 reveals that there were 952 people sharing this last name in England.

In the U.S., the last name Cowdell is most common in the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, California, Georgia, Texas, and Florida. The U.S. census of 2000 shows that there were 4,027 people living in the United States with the last name Cowdell. It is also common in Canada, with the top three provinces being Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta.

The origin of the last name Cowdell is believed to have stemmed from the Old English word "coedel" meaning "wood" or "forest" and denoted someone who lived near a wood. It may also be derived from the Old English "cwida" meaning "cow". Today, the last name Cowdell is still a common surname throughout the English-speaking world, while its original meaning has become obscured in time.

Variations of the surname Cowdell

The surname Cowdell can have many different forms of spelling and various related surnames. The most common spelling of the name is Cowdell, but some other common variations include Cowdle, Codell, Coudl, Cowdel, and Coul.

These variations of the name can be found in England, Ireland, Scotland, Australia, and the United States primarily. The surname Cowdle (or Coudl) can be found in some parts of Devon in England, and is actually an old regional surname.

In some parts of the United States, it is possible to find the spellings Codell and Caudill, while in Scotland, the spelling varies from Coull and Coul.

In the United states the surname Coultas may be a derivative of the original name. Additionally, the Dutch and German name Kaufmann may be related to the name Cowdell. Kaufmann is believed to be an Anglicised form of an older spelling of Cowdell.

Surnames related to Cowdell include: Cowdill, Cowdill-Lee, Cowdin, Coulthard, Cowdrey, Cowdry, Caudell, Codell, Coudl, Cowdel, Coul, Coultas, Kaufmann.

Famous people with the name Cowdell

• Linda Cowdell: British singer from the 1980s.
• Rob Cowdell: British actor best known for his roles in the television series Hustle and Doctor Who.
• Derek Cowdell: British Conservative Member of Parliament for Peterborough from 1983 to 1987.
• Mark Cowdell: British professional footballer who spent his entire career playing for Northampton Town over the 1990s and 2000s.
• Ian Cowdell: British businessman who was the CEO of Alliance Boots and SHL Group.
• Teresa Cowdell: British screenwriter who wrote for television series such as The Bill, Midsomer Murders, and Holby City.
• David Cowdell: British actor who has appeared in films such as Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and television series such as Casualty and Doctors.
• Paul Cowdell: British actor who has appeared in films such as The Wolfman and television series such as Emmerdale Farm and EastEnders.
• Brian Cowdell: British actor who has appeared in films such as The Three Musketeers and television series such as Z Cars and Rule Britannia.
• Frank Cowdell: British former professional footballer who played for Aston Villa and Coventry City in the 1940s and 1950s.

Other surnames

Cowden