Surname Fell - Meaning and Origin
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Fell: What does the surname Fell mean?
The last name Fell is of English origin. It is believed to have been derived from the Olde English word "fell," meaning "woodland clearing or hillside." Alternatively, it could be a local name stemming from the Old English word "faell," meaning "pasture land."
The name was likely adopted as a surname to denote a family's roots or location in an area with landscapes of valleys, rolling hills, or woodland. Many early adopters of the name were also likely involved in activities such as hunting, forest management, or small-scale farming.
Over time, various spelling variations have developed, such as Fellow, Fellows, Fells, Fellsman, and Fellman. Today, Fell is among the 200 most common surnames in the United Kingdom.
The surname Fell is most commonly found in England, Scotland, and Ireland, although variations are found in other countries, such as the United States and Canada. People with the Fell surname have contributed greatly to the fields of law, politics, music, engineering, and science. Famous individuals bearing the Fell surname include British Prime Minister Tony Fell, British broadcaster John Fell, and American civil rights activist Julian Fell.
Order DNA origin analysisFell: Where does the name Fell come from?
The last name Fell is a common surname found all over the world today. It is especially common in English speaking countries, where it is most often one of the 10 most common surnames in many regions.
In England, it is the 261st most common name, with 0.06% of the population having the name. It is most concentrated in the north of England, with the highest concentrations found in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Northumberland, Durham, Cumbria and Cheshire. In Scotland, it is the 576th most common surname, with 0.03% of the population having the name.
In the United States, the name Fell is not in the top 1000 most common surnames, but is still discovered in many states. The states in which the Fell surname is most concentrated are New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Michigan and Virginia. In Canada, the name is the 552nd most common, with 0.03% of the population having that name.
In Australia, the Fell surname is the 419th most common, with 0.05% of the population having that name, while in New Zealand, it is the 246th most common, with 0.07% of the population having that name.
All in all, the Fell surname is most common in English speaking countries, where it is found in high concentrations of the population.
Variations of the surname Fell
Fell is a surname derived from the Middle English word “fell” which means “rough, rugged, or wild.” It is most commonly found in Northern England.
Variants of the name include Felle, Fel, Feler, Fellers, Feller, Fellor, Fellem, Fellon, Fells, Fellsman, Fellman, Fellom, Follom, Fyllon, Filan, and Fillane.
The spelling of this surname can vary depending on the origin. As an example, the Gaelic spelling is O’Faolain.
Common surnames that share the same origin as Fell are Felt, Fontaine, Fenton, Fenwick, Fenloe, and Fennell.
In some cases, Fell may also be used as a diminutive form of Feldman, the English Jewish version of the Hebrew name Feldman, which translates to “field worker.”
Fell can be found in many different variation throughout the world. For example, it is a common name in Finland, where it is often spelled as Fäl and in Latin-American countries where it is spelled Feli. It is also found as Faal in Portugal.
A few other surnames derived from the name Fell include Fellner, Finklestein, Finkel, Fellershofer, Fahling, and Fryling.
The name Fell is an ancient one that has spread far and wide throughout the world. While it may have different variants and spellings, something binds them together—a common origin.
Famous people with the name Fell
- David Fell: Scottish professional badminton player
- Luke Fell: Australian Footy player
- Dave Fell: American marathon runner
- Bredon Fell: English television presenter
- Chelsea Fell: Canadian Professional Windsurfer
- Aron Fell: Dutch soccer player
- John Fell– English bishop, theologian and writer
- Jim Fell: British scientist, research into Antarctic exploration
- John Fell Jr.: American revolutionary war era builder and land investor
- Dick Fell: British WWI pilot and racecar driver
- James Fell: Canadian actor
- Phil Fell: English rugby player
- Lisa Fell: Danish Olympic Kangaroo jumper
- Peter Fell: New Zealand rugby player
- Iain Fell: Scotland representative in athletics
- Frederick Fell: English cricketer
- Thomas Fell: Chancellor of Cambridge University
- Kevin Fell: Australian Paralympic wheelchair race
- Jamie Fell: Canadian professional snowboarder
- Sophia Fell: American actor
- Rondell Fell: Jamaican international footballer
- Robert Fell: British MP for Carlisle
- Anne Fell: English architect
- Will Fell: English landscape painting artist