Darrel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Darrel

What does the name Darrel mean?

When the ancestors of the Darrel family emigrated to England following the Norman Conquest in 1066 they brought their family name with them. They lived in Buckinghamshire. They were originally from Airel, in La Manche, Normandy, and it is from the local form of this name, D'Airel, meaning from Airel, that their name derives.

"William de Orrell, a gentleman of the north parts of Normandie, soe called of a castle and family of that countrie, the which came in with the Conqueror, being for his good services done in he North... endowed with the possessions of a Saxon called Etheldred of Broadsworth, an ancient seat twelve miles west of Yorke." Such is the statement attached to an old pedigree quoted in Burke's Commoners. 1

Early Origins of the Darrel family

The surname Darrel was first found in Buckinghamshire where this ancient and noble family of Norman descent came over with the Conqueror and seated themselves at Lillingstone before the year 1200.

"The descendants of this Norman knight established themselves over various counties, and for centuries flourished in all: the principal were those of Calehill and Scotney, in Kent; of Sesay, in Yorkshire; of Littlecote, in Wiltshire; of Pageham, in Sussex; of Trewornan, in Cornwall; of Lillingston Dayrell, Bucks; and of Shudy Camps, in Cambridgeshire. A curious trial is on record with reference to the Littlecote branch. Its chief was arraigned for the murder of an infant child, on the evidence of the midwife, who detailed, with most circumstantial minuteness; her journey, blindfolded, to a residence which she supposed to be the ancient manor-house of Littlecote, her presence at the birth of a male child, and her belief, founded on many circumstances she narrated, that the infant was burnt to death. On cross-examination, however, her evidence broke down, and Dayrell was acquitted." 2

"Richard son of Elais Dayrell being seised of a messuage and half of knight's fee there in King Richard the First's time, or the beginning of King John's reign. Before 1306 the Dayrells became possessed of the fee of the manor, which has ever since continued in the family." 3

The Dyarells of Shudy Camps in Cambridgeshire are a younger branch of the family descending from the second son of Paul Dayrell of Lillinstone, Sheriff of Buckinghamshire in 1579. The parish of Horkstow in Lincolnshire "contains a family vault for the Darells, formerly owners of property in the parish." 4

The Curia Regis Rolls of Yorkshire included a listing for Thomas de Arel in 1166 and later the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire listed Marmaduc Darel in 1182. Early Manx records listed Ralph Darel(l), Dairel(l) there in 1204-1205 and Henry de Ayrel or Dayrel was found in the Feet of Fines for Berkshire in 1235. 5

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Henry Dayrel, Buckinghamshire; Ralph Dayrel, Buckinghamshire; and Isabella Darel, Yorkshire. 6

Early History of the Darrel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Darrel research. Another 235 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1415, 1450, 1465, 1491, 1513, 1529, 1530, 1539, 1556, 1560, 1563, 1572, 1589, 1651, 1721 and 1845 are included under the topic Early Darrel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Darrel Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Darrel has been recorded under many different variations, including Darrell, Dorrell, Dayrell, Darrel, Darell, Darel and others.

Early Notables of the Darrel family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Elizabeth Darrell, the first wife of John Seymour (c. 1450-1491), and paternal grandmother of Queen Jane Seymour
Sir Edward Darrell (c. 1465-1530), of Littlecote, Wiltshire, an English politician, Member of the Parliament for Wiltshire in 1529
Elizabeth Darrell (born c. 1513-c. 1556 ), the long-term mistress and muse of Sir Thomas Wyatt, they had one surviving child
William Darrell (1539-1589) of Littlecote House, Wiltshire, later of Warwick Lane, London, an English Member of Parliament for Downton in 1572
William Darrell (1651-1721), an English Jesuit theologian and writer

Darrel migration to the United States +

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Darrels were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:

Darrel Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Richard Darrel, who settled in New England in 1698

Contemporary Notables of the name Darrel (post 1700) +

H. Darrel Darby (b. 1928), American Democratic Party politician, Podiatrist; Member of West Virginia State Senate 5th District, 1973-76 7
Darrel Janz (1941-2024), Canadian broadcast journalist
Darrel J. McLeod (1957-2024), Canadian Cree writer
Darrel Chandra Raja Collure (1938-2021), Sri Lankan politician who served as Governor of the Uva Province from 2019 until his death in 2021
Darrel Guilbeau (b. 1962), American voice actor
Darrel Scoville (b. 1975), Canadian professional NHL ice hockey defenceman who played from 1998 to 2011
Darrel Knibbs (b. 1949), Canadian former professional NHL ice hockey player
Darrel Wayne Akerfelds (1962-2012), American coach of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres
Darrel Stinson (b. 1945), Canadian retired politician in British Columbia, Canada
Darrel Foss (1892-1962), American movie actor from Los Angeles, California

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 27) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html