Surname Cardwel - Meaning and Origin

Cardwel: What does the surname Cardwel mean?

The surname Cardwel doesn't have a specific meaning associated with it as it's a variant of the surname Cardwell, a locational surname originating from England. Cardwell is derived from the place named 'Cardwell' in Lancashire. The place name Cardwell itself is believed to come from the Old Norse words "karð", which means "marsh" and "vellr", which means "field or plain". Thus, when combined, the surname could suggest someone who lives in or near a marshy field. Since surnames often functioned as identifiers in earlier times, this likely pointed to families who lived in such locations. Like many surnames, spelling variations such as Cardwel have occurred over time due to factors like phonetics, regional accents, and literacy levels in historical records.

Cardwel: Where does the name Cardwel come from?

The last name Cardwel is believed to derive from the Old English words "carr," meaning rock, and "wella," meaning spring or stream. This suggests that the original Cardwel ancestors lived near a rocky spring or stream. This type of geographical surname was typically given to people after the location where they lived or where they came from. The surname is a variant of Cardwell, and it's more common spelling variant. Cardwell is predominantly British and its origin can be traced back to Lancashire, England where there is a town named Cardwell.

Today, this surname isn't very common compared to other surnames, hence, its incidence is lesser. In terms of geographical distribution today, the highest number of people carrying the Cardwell surname are found in the United States, followed by England according to information from surname databases. In the United States, the name is prevalent in states like Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri. In England, the areas with a significantly higher concentration of people named Cardwell are Lancashire, West Yorkshire, and Greater Manchester. Please note that specific data for the variant "Cardwel" might be different, as it's less common.

Variations of the surname Cardwel

The surname Cardwel is believed to be of Scottish origin, stemming from the place Cardwell in Renfrewshire, Scotland. Its spelling has evolved over centuries and due to regional dialects and phonetic spelling, a variety of versions of the name exist.

Among the most common variations are Cardwell, Cardewell, Cardwill, Cardwelle, Cardwall, and Cardville. The spelling could also vary with a single 'l' - Cardwel, Cardewel, and so forth.

The name could also be affixed or prefixed with other elements. For example, a 'Mac' or 'Mc' prefix, traditionally used in Scottish and Irish surnames to denote 'son of,' might be used. This has given rise to variants such as MacCardwell or McCardwell.

Similarly, variations might arise from combining the name with other surnames, according to marriage or land ownership, leading to hyphenated versions like Cardwell-Smith or Jones-Cardwell.

Local dialects also tend to influence name spelling, particularly in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland where the name is known to have spread. Lastly, family immigrations and Anglicization of names could produce further variants of the surname Cardwel.

Famous people with the name Cardwel

• Guy Cardwell: American author
• Charles E. Cardwell: American judge
• Jason Cardwell: Football coach
• Lori Cardwell: American swimmer
• Allen Cardwell: Australian cricketer
• Hazel Cardwell: English Actress
• Ray Cardwell: American Country music singer
• Vick Cardwell: American Basketball coach
• Kimberly Cardwell: Duecentist
• Kenneth Cardwell: American byciclist

Other surnames

Cardwell