Last name: Powell

This interesting name has two possible origins, the first and most generally applicable to modern-day bearers of the name being from the early medieval Welsh patronymic form of the personal name "Hywel". In Welsh this was rendered as "ap-Howell" or "Hywel", meaning "son of Hywel", a male personal name popular since the Middle Ages in honour of the great 10th Century law-giving Welsh King. In time the two elements contracted to produce the name "Powell", which is first recorded in its modern form as Roger ap Howell, alias Powell, named in a lawsuit in 1563. The second possible origin of the surname is English and derives from a patronymic form of the given name Paul, meaning "small", from the Latin "paulus", and found in Langlands's "Piers Plowman" in 1367 as "Powel". One James Powell embarked in the "Thomas and John" for Virginia in June 1635, at 12 yrs. of age being one of the youngest emigrants recorded. There are twenty-seven "Powell" entries in the "Dictionary of National Biography". These include Professor Baden-Powell (1796 - 1860), whose son was Sir George Baden-Powell, M.P. (1847 - 1898) who in turn was the father of Col. Robert (later Lord) Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scout and Guide Movement. Col. Baden-Powell defended Mafeking against the Boers in 1900 for 217 days, using "Boy" Scouts as his communication runners. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Philip ap Howel which was dated 1285, in the "Radnorshire Charter Rolls", during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Visitor Comments

Carl Jenkins
Gos this site is shit, every Welsh name it reckons could be also from England. Even the pure Welsh names like Llewellyn, Powell etc it thinks hads an English origin possibility. FFS admit it, England is NOT the centre of the world

Clifford
I have heard the derivation came from POW meaning strength; EL, from God.

Rhys
powell derives from the same way a other welsh names powell - ap hywel pritchard - ap richard parry - ap harry - ap harri bowen - ab owen - ab owain

Barry Barry
I've heard of a chip on your shoulder but you Mr Jenkins have surely got a full on potato wedge on yours, the reason the majority of surnames are linked to England? Is all down to the Norman invasion I'm afraid so in actual fact your probably more French than Welsh does that help reduce the chip

sbwelsh
I've also heard Powell meant 'dweller by the pool".

Welshgirl
my understanding is that it can mean "man from the pool, pond or lake (pool rendered as pwyll) and that colloquially (sic) is used to note a man's livelihood, ie: a fisherman. Much as Chandler means candlemaker, Cooper is a barrelmaker, etc. Don't remember where I got the info but do know I've read it in more than 1 source.

Harry Powell
My name is Harry Llewellyn Powell. I am Australian. My Great Grandfather came from the USA. His family migrated to the USA from Wales and he subsequently migrated to Australia and married in Australia. His name was William Llewellyn Powell. In discussions with my Father and Grandfather I learned that our family and our name originated in Wales and was derived from ap Howell (or ap Hywel). I have high regard for my Father and Grandfather and I am proud of my Welsh heritage.

Martha Powell
I love that this discussion continues after all this time. My maiden name was Powell. Also am a descendant of John "The Great" Mathis ,originally Matthews, from Wales. Am proud to be of Welsh heritage. Wales rocks!