# Powell (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/powell/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

An English and Welsh surname from Welsh.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | Welsh |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 224,874 |
| US rank (2010) | 101 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 1,373 people |
| Change since 2000 | +3.8% (216,553 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈpaʊ.(w)əl/, 2 syllables |
| Variant spellings | Powel |

## Etymology

The anglicized form of Welsh ap Hywel (“son of Hywel”). Related to Howell and Huell. Sometimes also associated with Paul by folk etymology.

## Who carries it

Share of people named Powell in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 67% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 27% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.3% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
| Two or more races | 2.3% |

## Where

Wikidata records people named Powell in the United States, the United Kingdom, Jamaica, Australia, Belgium and The Bahamas.

## People named Powell

- Colin Powell, American general and diplomat (1937–2021)
- William Powell, American actor (1892–1984)
- Jerome Powell, American financier (born 1953)
- Mike Powell, Athletics competitor, long jumper
- Glen Powell, American actor (born 1988)
- John Wesley Powell, American geologist (1834-1902)
- Dick Powell, American actor (1904-1963)
- Laurene Powell Jobs, American political activist, business executive, philanthropist, heiress, billionaire
- Jane Powell, American actress, dancer, and singer (1929-2021)
- Bud Powell, American jazz pianist and composer (1924–1966)
- Robert Powell, British actor
- Norman Powell, American basketball player (born 1993)

and 32 more on Wikidata.

## Similar surnames

Polley, Pell, Polly, Poll, Pol, Powley, Paul, Poole, Pyle, Pool, Pauley, Pelayo.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.