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| Origins Available: |
| | England |
The Orrel surname is thought to be a habitational name, derived a place named Orell in Lancashire. The place name is thought to derive from the Old English "ora," meaning "ore," most likely iron ore, and "hyll," meaning "a hill." 1
The surname Orrel was first found in Lancashire at either Orrell, with Ford or Orrell, townships that date back to the Domesday Book of 1086. 2
"Matthew de L'Oriel, or L'Oriol, and Robert L,'Orle, occur in the Norman Exchequer Rolls 1180-95. In England I find an old Lancashire family named Orrell, though Baines seems to assign to them a Saxon origin. 'Richard de Horul held half a carucate in thanage and a render of 10s - together with the service of finding one judger of old. As these possessions were drengages, it would seem that the Horuls were descended from the thanes of the Domesday Survey, and they were ancestors of the Orrells of Turton, who had also property in the adjoining township of Dalton in the time of Henry VIII. Orrell Hall is now a large farmhouse." 2
One of the family built Turton Tower. 'The expense, it is said, was so exorbitant as to cripple the Orrells, and they were never able to recover from its effects. After many struggles, they first mortgaged the township, and subsequently sold it to the celebrated Humphrey Chetham. Several of the Orrells still reside in Turton and the neighbourhood.'-Illustrated Itinerary of Lancashire.
The township of Orrell retains their name. I cannot find that it belongs to any place in Normandy; but there is a town called Loriol on the Rhone. Oriel, the ancient name of the Irish county of Lowth, which gives the title of Baron to Viscount Massareene, is merely the Anglicized form of the Celtic Orgial or Argial. Camden speaks of 'the famous family of the Orells' of Turton-Tower. A Robert Oriol witnesses the foundation charter of Northampton Priory." 3
Turton Tower survives today as a manor house in Chapeltown in North Turton, Borough of Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Orrel research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1480 and 1765 are included under the topic Early Orrel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling variations of this family name include: Orrell, Orrel, Orell and others.
Distinguished members of the family include