HOLYWELL
Holywell
The surname Holywell is of English origin and is locational, denoting a person who hailed from a place called Holywell. There are several villages and hamlets in England named Holywell, of which the most known is Holywell in North Wales, famous for its St. Winefride's Well, a site of pilgrimage.
The surname Holywell can be traced back to the medieval period, with records indicating its use as early as the 13th century. The name likely originated from the Old English words "hālig," meaning holy, and "wælle," meaning well, referencing a significant well or spring believed to have sacred or religious associations.
Individuals bearing the surname Holywell may have ancestral ties to one of the places named Holywell, with their forebears having adopted the name to reflect their place of origin.
As with many locational surnames, the surname Holywell may have undergone variations in spelling over the centuries due to factors such as dialectal differences, clerical errors, and phonetic changes. Variants of the surname may include Holliwell, Hollywell, and Holwell.
Today, individuals with the surname Holywell can be found across the United Kingdom and in various parts of the world, with the name serving as a link to the rich historical and geographical heritage associated with the places named Holywell.
There are approximately 110 people named Holywell in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around two in a million people in Britain are named Holywell.
Typical given names associated with the surname
Male
- Robert
Female