This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Abel.' Much more popular in mediaeval society than in that of the 19th century. Among the peasantry, however, Abel still receives a certain amount of attention as a font-name.

Richard Abel, Buckinghamshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Abel le Specer. Derbyshire, ibid.

Henry Abel, Nottinghamshire, ibid.

Allan Abel, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

Abel le Orfeure. Excerpta e Rotulis Finium in Turri Londinensi.

Richard Abel, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

1578. George Abell, Derbyshire: Register of the University of Oxford.

1623. Richard Abelson and Ellen Brocke: Marriage Lic. (Westminster).

1714. William Abell, patron of Brampton, Norfolk: History of Norfolk.

This was a not uncommon personal name in the Middle Ages, derived from the Biblical Abel, Hebrew Hebhel, a name of uncertain meaning, but usually interpreted "breath." Master Abell, clericus regis, was one of the members of a mission sent to England to ask restoration of the earl dom of Huntingdon in 1237 (Bain, I, 1329). He also appears in documents concerning the Abbey of Kelso in 1235 (Kelso, 231,418), and in 1253 "valuing his own promotion more than the honour of the king or kingdom caused himself to be consecrated bishop by the pope" (Chron. Mail.). Nicholas Abel, a Scottish master mariner, was wrecked on the coast of Norfolk in 1388 (Bain, tv, 381), Thomas Abel or Abell appears as burgess of Edinburgh in 1387 and 1413 (Egidii, p. 23; Neubotle, p. 237), and John Abell held land in Aberdeen in 1413 (BMS., I, 943). Robert Abell, chaplain in Brechin, is mentioned in 1512 (RSS., 2440), and William Abel was tenant of Racharral, Kemnay, in 1696 (AEI., p. 23). The name occurs in Dundee towards the latter end of the sixteenth century as Abell, and is found in the parish of Kemnay in 1697 as Ebald (Inverurie, p. 426). Thomas Abell was a burgess of Edinburgh in 1430 (Neubotle, p. 280), and a John Abell is there also in 1635 (Edinb. Marr.). The kindred of John Abell, a celebrated Scottish singer of the reign of Charles II were later known by the name of Eball (Illus., I, p. 57—58). Abill 1633.

(Hebrew) Breath, Evanescence. [Hebrew Hebhel].

(English) Descendant of Abel (breath or vanity).

“a name which has not a very genuine sound as a surname.”—Sir Egerton Brydges. Nevertheless, N. Abel held lands from Lanfranc in Kent 1086 (Domesday); and “Johi Abel et Consorti Sue” were among the Kentish gentry summoned by a writ of Edward I. in the first year of his reign “to be present at his and the Queen’s coronation at Westminster on the Sunday next after the feast of St Valentine the Martyr.”—Hasted's Kent.—This was probably the same Sir John Abell of Hering Hill in Erith, afterwards knighted at the siege of Carlaverock, who was sheriff of Surrey and Sussex in 1298, 1299, 1300, and 1301; and left two sons; 1, John, one of the Barons of the Exchequer 5 Ed. II., and 2, Walter, the owner of Foot’s Cray. His coat of arms, Argent, a saltire engrailed Gules, is given in the ‘Parliamentary Roll’—”probably of knights eligible to be called to the council of the nation”—published by Sir Francis Palgrave. “His descendant, John Abell, died possessed of Hering Hill, about the latter end of Queen Elizabeth’s reign; but his son Samuel was the last of the family there.”—Ibid. A branch remained in Buckinghamshire, where six of the Abells lie buried in East Claydon Church. One of them (who died in 1661) was High Sheriff of the county. They bore Argent a saltire engrailed Azure. —Lipscomb's Bucks. The Abells of Essex had entirely different arms, and were, according to Morant, “originally considerable clothiers. John Abell (who died in 1558) held the Manor of Cooke’s Hall of the Queen as of her Honour of Clare.” In 1666, one of his descendants, William Abell, was living at Fordham, in the same county.—Ibid.

From the personal name. It frequently occurs temp. Edwd. I. in the same forms.

(Hebrew.) Vanity, breath.

From the Dutch, Swedish or German, Abel; from the Flemish, Abbeele, Abeels; from the Dutch, Abels, Eble; from the German, Abel, Ebel; in the Domesday Book, Abel; personal name Abell is on the Roll of Battel Abbey. Abel, tenant in the Domesday Book, (Kent).

A Norman name: From the Domesday Book, , Kent.

Abell has long been a Leicestershire name. John Abel resided at Staunton Harold in the reign of Edward III.; John Abell was rector of Newbold Verdun in the time of Elizabeth; John Abell of Desford, owned 30 acres of Leicester forest in the reign of Charles I.; Matthew Abell held part of the manor of Manceter in the reign of George I. (N.). Ann Abell, aged 21, was buried at Sutton Chaynell in 1784 (B.). This name is also established in the neighbouring county of Derby. In the 13th century it occurred as Abel in Beds, Bucks, Wilts, and Cambridgeshire (H. R.). The Abells of Fordham and West Bergholt, Essex, from the 14th to the 16th century, obtained their wealth in the cloth trade (Morant's "Essex").