This surname is derived from a nickname. 'the borel,' originally a term for a kind of coarse cloth. Afterwards used adjectively for a comely man, a peasant, a countryman; v. Historical English Dictionary, s. v. Burel (also v. Burler, ibid). Borel was also used as a personal name.

Johanna, relicta Burel, Oxfordshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Burellus de Rathesnese, Norfolk, ibid.

Emma Burel, Norfolk, ibid.

Willelmus Burell, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Johannes Borell, 1379: ibid.

William Burel, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

1627. Baptised — Robert, s. William Burrell: St. James, Clerkenwell.

(a) Local, 'of Burrel,' a township in the parish of Bedale, North Riding Yorkshire.

(Anglo-French-Latin) 1 Of Reddish-Brown Complexion [Old French burel —bu(i)re, reddish-brown + the diminutive suff. ~(e)l; Latin burrus, Greek πvρρός, reddish] Emma Burel.—Hundred Rolls Burel is still a fairly common French surname.

2 a nickname from the coarse brown cloth so called: a Peasant, Workman [Middle English Old French burel, borel, a coarse brown (or grey) woollen cloth (French bure(au, drugget); Old French bu(i)re, reddish-brown, as above] But, sires, by-cause I am a burel man, At my bigynnyng first I yow biseche, Have me excused of my rude speche.

Chaucer, Cant. Tales, F 716-8.

(English) 1 belonging to Burrell = prob. the Borough or Castle Slope, or Corner [Old English burh, a stronghold, &c. + heal(h] 2 Cupbearer, Butler [Old English byrele]

“Reddish-Brown” in Old French (Burel). Also “Unlearned” in Old English (Borel).

(English) One who came from Burrill (hill of the fort), in the North Riding of Yorkshire; one who made, or wore, burel, a coarse brown woolen cloth.

Plain, rude, unpolished. ' Borel-clerks,' lay clerks; ' borel-folks,' laymen. The Franklin in Chaucer says in his prologue —

Borel is used by Chaucer in the sense of lay, as borel—clerhs—lay—clerks. It may be a corruption of Borrail (which see).

Radulphus, Ranulph, William, Benald Borel, and others of the name, were of Normandy, 1180-98 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae). Roger Burel witnessed the foundation charter of Bradenstoke, Wilts, 12th cent. Richard B. occurs in Wilts, 1199 (Rotuli Curiae Regis). In 13th cent. Peter Burel held one fee and Thomas B. two from the Earl of Surrey (Testa de Neville). From this family descended the Lords Gwydyr and Willoughby de Eresby, and the Baronets Burrell.

From Burrell; a location name in Yorkshire Or from the French, Burel; In the Domesday Book, Borel; a personal name.

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. (Hasted's "Kent"). In 1748 Peter Burrell, Esq., of St. John's College, Cambridge, presented a statue of Glory to the University (Cooper's "Cambridge").