Birrell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Birrell was first found in North Yorkshire at Burrill, a small village in the Hambleton district that dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Borel. 1 It literally meant "hill with a fort," from the Old English words "burh" + "hyll." 2

"This name is early found upon the Border, particularly in the East Marches. Henry Burel witnessed charter of the church of Pencathlan to the Abbey of Kelso c. 1180. William Bwrel attested a document concerning the land of Cnoc in Renfrew, 1234. William Burel witnessed gift of land in Ayton to William Scot of Coldingham, c. 1250. 3

Early rolls revealed the name as both a forename and a surname. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Johanna, relicta Burel, Oxfordshire; Burellus de Rathesnese, Norfolk; and Emma Burel, Norfolk. Later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed: Willelmus Burell; and Johannes Borell as both holding lands there at that time. 4

"Burrell has long been a Lincolnshire name. In Cromwell's time, Sir John Burrell of Dunsby and Redman Burrell, Esq., of Fulbeck, compounded their estates for £687 and £770 respectively (O.). The name is also now found in Norfolk. Burrell was the name of a noted family of Kent and Sussex during the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries, and one of the Burrells of Beckenham, Kent, was High Sheriff of Kent in 1722; Northumberland is stated to have been the home of the family in the reign of Edward I. " 5

Farther south in Cornwall, "Burell [in the parish of Saltash] has been the seat of a family of this name for many generations. This residence can be traced back prior to the reign of Edward II. at which period one of them married the co-heiress of Woodland. The present possessor is Arthur Burell, Esq. but he is not known to have descended from the ancient family, who formerly had their seat here." 6

Over the years, extensions of the root name were found including John Burelman in London in 1311. 7