Frequency: (7748)
(number of times this surname appears in a sample database of 88.7 million names, representing one third of the 1997 US population)
1. English: from the Middle English personal names Siwal(d) and Sewal(d), Old English Sigeweald and Sǣweald, composed of the elements sige ‘victory’ and sǣ ‘sea’ + weald ‘rule’.
2. English: habitational name from Sewell in Bedfordshire, Showell in Oxfordshire, or Seawell or Sywell in Northamptonshire, all of which are named from Old English seofon ‘seven’ + wella ‘spring’.
See the Key to the Dictionary or consult the General Introduction for further explanation.
