Cornell Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Cornell last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Cornell last name
Meaning of the Cornell last name: from Cornwall or Cornhill. Cornell is an English surname for a family from Cornwall or from places called Cornhill, and sometimes a nickname from Old French corneille, "crow". The last name reached New England in the 1600s. Curiously, Cornell University takes its name from Ezra Cornell, who co-founded it in 1865.
Arms associated with the Cornell name
Coats of arms associated with the Cornell surname follow English heraldry, each set out in a short blazon.
Get your full Cornell family history
This is only a glimpse of the Cornell story. The full Cornell history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Cornell coat of arms. Get the full Cornell report.
Cornell name FAQ
What does the Cornell name mean?
From Cornwall or Cornhill. Common variants include Cornwell, Cornwall.
Where does the Cornell surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Cornell coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Cornell coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).