From Ruelles, near Vernon, in Normandy. This name (sometimes given as De Roeles It might easily be confounded with that of Richard de Rullos, the Conqueror’s Chamberlain, to which it bears an unmistakeable family likeness. But M. de Gerville expressly states that this Richard took his name from a place called Roullos or Roulluors in the arrondissement of Vire.) appears more than once in the Norman Exchequer Rolls of the twelfth century, and is still represented in France. The De Ruels, now resident near Alençon, proved their nobility in 1670, and were Sires de Launay, de Belle Isle, &c. They bear Azure four eaglets Gules. The first mention I have found of them on this side of the Channel is in 1130, when Grimbald and Leowin de Rowella were of Lincoln (Rot. Pip.), and during the reign of King John, Ralph Druel of Buckinghamshire, Robert Ruell of Bedfordshire, and Nicholas and Richard de Rowell of Northamptonshire, are all to be met with. About 1180 “Magistro Ger’ de Roell” witnesses a confirmation charter of Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln; and “Alan de Rowell gave jointly to Bridlington Priory and St. Mary of Thornton-on-the-Humber six marks of silver to be paid yearly.”— Poulson's Holderness. According to the Testa de Nevill, the Druells held Brayfield, Bucks, about 1224 of the Honour of Huntingdon. “Alice, presumed to be the heiress of the Blossomvilles, married (before 1264) Sir John Druel, and brought him Newton-Blossomville. Some time after 1323, Nicola, daughter and heir of William Druell, being married to Sir Thomas Swinford, carried the inheritance to him.”—Lipscomb's Buckinghamshire. William Druell “of Weresle” appears in 1443 in the list of the Gentry of Huntingdonshire.—Fuller.

According to Mr. Ellis, the name is to be found in Domesday. Ralph, who was Ralph Paynell’s tenant at Torleton in Gloucestershire, was evidently Ralph du Rouelle, who had held lands of him in Somerset. I have failed to find any further mention of them in either of these counties. The Northamptonshire branch lasted the longest, and was evidently preponderant there in early times, as (with the exception of a single break) John Druel served as High Sheriff uninter­ruptedly from 18 to 29 Ed. I. Yet the only allusion to their possessions I can meet with is that another John Druel—perhaps his grandson—held half a knight’s fee at Newton in 1346. In 1485 died a third and last John Druel, Lord of Great Oakley, leaving a young brother of fourteen, Richard Druel, as his heir. The line ended with this Richard in 1509. He had two daughters; but the younger died childless, and her elder sister, Anne Peryent, was sole inheritrix, v.—Bridge’s Northamptonshire.

In Ireland “John Drull” was summoned to parliament as a baron in 1302 (30 Ed. I.), the year after the expiration of his namesake’s shrievalty. Can he by any possibility have been the same man?

Druell: from Ruelles, near Vernon, in Normandy. Does not occur in England before 1130.