Barrel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Ireland

The first people to use the distinguished Barrel family name were found in the parish of Barwell, which is located in the county of Leicestershire. The surname Barrel belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. This particular name is derived from the Old English words bar, meaning boar, and well, meaning spring or well.

Early Origins of the Barrel family

The surname Barrel was first found in the county of Herefordshire, where they held a family seat from about 1400 when they were granted lands in that county.

Early History of the Barrel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barrel research. Another 53 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1500, 1600, 1627, 1663, 1679 and 1724 are included under the topic Early Barrel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barrel Spelling Variations

Huguenot surnames were only slightly Anglicized, and they remain to this day a distinct group of surnames in England. Nevertheless, Huguenot surnames have been subject to numerous spelling alterations since the names emerged in France. French surnames have a variety of spelling variations because the French language has changed drastically over the centuries. French was developed from the vernacular Latin of the Roman Empire. It is divided into three historic and linguistic periods: Old French, which developed before the 14th century; Middle French, which was used between the 14th and 16th centuries; and Modern French, which was used after the 16th century and continues to be in use today. In all of these periods, the French language was heavily influenced by other languages. For example, Old French was infused with Germanic words and sounds when the barbarian tribes invaded and settled in France after the fall of the Roman Empire. Middle French also borrowed heaviliy from the Italian language during the Renaissance. Huguenot names have numerous variations. The name may be spelled Barrel, Barrell, Barril and others.

Early Notables of the Barrel family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Charles Barrell, noted Royalist
Francis Barrell (c. 1627-1679), English lawyer and politician, MP for Rochester

Migration of the Barrel family to Ireland

Some of the Barrel family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barrel migration to the United States +

Discovered in the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Barrel:

Barrel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Samuel Barrel, who arrived in Virginia in 1700 1
Thomas Barrel, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 1
Jacob Barrel, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 1
Walter Barrel, who settled in Boston in 1769

Barrel migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Barrel Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Ann Barrel, aged 29, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1860 aboard the ship "Grand Trianon"

Contemporary Notables of the name Barrel (post 1700) +

Thomas Barrel, Marketing Executive

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)