Explore the Family Name Newell
The meaning of Newell
1. English (of Norman origin): variant of Neville. 2. English: variant of Noel. 3. English: variant of Newhall. 4. Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Tnúthghail ‘descendant of Tnúthgal’, a personal name composed of the elements tnúth ‘desire, envy’ + gal ‘valor’. 5. Americanized form of French Noël (see Noel); compare 2 above.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Newell in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Newell has seen a slight decrease in popularity over the past decade. In 2000, it was ranked as the 1,021st most common surname, and by 2010, it had dropped to the 1,064th position, marking a 4.21 percent decline. Despite this decrease in rank, the actual count of individuals with the Newell surname increased from 31,317 in 2000 to 32,909 in 2010, showing an upward trend of 5.08 percent. The proportion of individuals named Newell per 100k also saw a minor decrease of 3.88 percent over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,021 | #1,064 | -4.21% |
| Count | 31,317 | 32,909 | 5.08% |
| Proportion per 100k | 11.61 | 11.16 | -3.88% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Newell
The ethnicity associated with the surname Newell has experienced some shifts between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage of Newells identifying as White decreased slightly from 81.55 percent to 79.08 percent. However, there were significant increases in other ethnic identities. The proportion of Newells identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander rose by 52.50 percent, while those reporting two or more races jumped by 44.53 percent. The Hispanic representation within the Newell surname grew by 44.31 percent. Furthermore, those identifying as Black saw a moderate rise of 5.82 percent, and the American Indian and Alaskan Native category saw an increase of 18.46 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 81.55% | 79.08% | -3.03% |
| Black | 14.44% | 15.28% | 5.82% |
| Hispanic | 1.67% | 2.41% | 44.31% |
| Two or More Races | 1.28% | 1.85% | 44.53% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.65% | 0.77% | 18.46% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.4% | 0.61% | 52.5% |
Newell ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Newell is British & Irish, which comprises 54.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.8%) and Eastern European (4.0%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Nigerian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 54.5% |
| French & German | 21.8% |
| Eastern European | 4.0% |
| Other | 19.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Newell
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Newell have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 87.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 87.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 86.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 86.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 86.50% |
What Newell haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Newell is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-L233 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Morgan, Cameron, Hopkins, Phillips, Sherman, Porter, Jones, Lloyd, Hughes, Gee.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Newell surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Newell have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Newell" Surname 40.9%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Newell" Surname 27.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Newell" Surname 18.0%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Newell" Surname 18.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Newell?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Newell are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition