Contents [hide]

Worrell History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Worrell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the name Worrell date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in Worral, a place in the West Riding of Yorkshire. 1 2 The place-name Worral is composed of the Old English elements wir, which means "myrtle" and halh, which means "nook or corner of land." The place-name translates as "nook of land where bog-myrtle grows." 3

Alternatively the name could have originated at Wirral, in Cheshire. 4

Early Origins of the Worrell family

The surname Worrell was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire, at Worrall, a small rural village and parish which dates back to at least the Domesday Book where it was listed as Wihale, part of the lands held by Roger de Busli. By 1218, some records show the village's name as Wirhal. 3 Today it is within the boundaries of the City of Sheffield and has a population of about 1,306 as of 2006. At one time, Knotty-Ash House in Lancashire was the property of the Worrall family. 5

One of the first records of the family was Roger de Wyrhal, who was listed in the Assize Rolls for Yorkshire in 1219. Records in Sheffield, South Yorkshire list Richard de Wyrall in 1351 and William Worrall in 1517. 6

Early History of the Worrell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Worrell research. Another 195 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1388, 1586, 1590, 1614, 1630, 1664, 1705 and 1797 are included under the topic Early Worrell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Worrell Spelling Variations

Worrell has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Worrell have been found, including Worrall, Worral, Worrell, Worrel, Worrill, Worril and others.

Early Notables of the Worrell family

More information is included under the topic Early Worrell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Worrell Ranking

In the United States, the name Worrell is the 2,426^th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 7

Migration of the Worrell family to Ireland

Some of the Worrell 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.

Worrell migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Worrells to arrive on North American shores:

Worrell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Worrell, who landed in Maryland in 1658 8
John Worrell, who landed in Maryland in 1659 8
Peter Worrell, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1682 8
Richard Worrell, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682 8

Worrell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Joseph Worrell, who arrived in Virginia in 1711 8

Worrell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Worrell, aged 45, who arrived in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1828 8

Worrell migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Worrell Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Grooby Worrell, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1778

Worrell migration to Australia +

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

Worrell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Joseph Edward Worrell, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Abberton" in 1849 9
Joseph Worrell, aged 19, a carpenter, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Blundell"
James Worrell, aged 26, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Marion" 10
Brierley Worrell, aged 34, a gardener, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Gilmore"

Worrell migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Worrell Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Worrell, Cornish settler travelling from Launceston aboard the ship "Will O the Wisp" arriving in New Zealand in 1852 11
Lillias Worrell, aged 21, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Dallam Tower" in 1875

Worrell migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 12

Worrell Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Sarah Worrell, who settled in Barbados in 1686

Contemporary Notables of the name Worrell (post 1700) +

George Bernard "Bernie" Worrell Jr. (b. 1944), American keyboardist and composer, best known for his work with Talking Heads, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997
Todd Roland Worrell (b. 1959), American retired Major League Baseball relief pitcher
Timothy Howard "Tim" Worrell (b. 1967), American Major League Baseball relief pitcher
Rebecca Worrell (b. 1991), American artist
Mark Robert Worrell (b. 1983), American Major League Baseball player
Cameron Worrell (b. 1979), American NFL football safety
Trix Worrell (b. 1960), English writer and director
Sir Frank Mortimer Maglinne Worrell (1924-1967), West Indies cricketer and Jamaican senator
Peter Worrell (b. 1977), Canadian retired NHL ice hockey player who played for the Florida Panthers and the Colorado Avalanche
Eric Worrell MBE (1924-1987), Australian herpetologist
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Worrell family +

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Fred A. Worrell, English 3rd Class passenger residing in New York, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 13

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The ABBERTON 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Abberton.htm
South Australian Register 1857. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Marion 1857. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/marion1857.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/