Roger Poutrel and Galfrid Poterel are entered in the Norman Exchequer Rolls of the end of the twelfth century; and it is possible that their name was derived from the manor of Potereau, mentioned by Anselme. It dates from the Conquest in England. One of the charters of Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, to St. Werburgh’s, contains the following entry: “Robertus Pultrel dedit terram unicus carucæ apud Masclefeld.” Ormerod tells us that “Poynton, probably included, at the time of the Survey, in some part of the Earl’s extensive domain in Macclesfield Hundred, after an intermediate grant to the family of Poutrell, had passed to the Stokeports when the place from which they derived their name was erected into a barony about the time of Randle Blunde- ville.” Sir Galfrid Poutrell is mentioned in Cheshire during the reign of Henry VIII. In Leicestershire the Poutrells gave their name to Cotes-Poutrel, which they held of the Honour of Chester, and to Hoton-Poutrel, where they are found in 1235. “It appears,” says Nichols, “that Poutrel the lord of Cotes held lands in Prestwould and Wimeswould, and that part thereof belonged to the monastery of St. Ebrulf in Normandy, probably by gift of these Poutrels;” and here he quotes in corroboration a deed of the Conqueror’s. “John Poutrel was of Prestwould in 1350: he held of the Beaumonts, and bore Or on a bend Azure three fleurs-de-lis Argent. Hoton chapel was given by Robert Poutrel of Cotes to Bolingbroke Priory in Lincolnshire, at the time of his being received into their fraternity.” Robert Poutrel was three times knight of the shire for Leicester during the reign of Edward L, and once in that of his successor.

In Nottinghamshire the Poutrels held Thrumpton of the Fee of Busli, and had their seat there till 1608. “Richard Poutrel was a very considerable man and some kind of Receiver under King Edward III. He died 1 Henry IV. without issue. His seal is a fesse between three cinquefoils.” - Thoroton’s Notts. The Poutrels had then been seated for eight generations at Thrumpton. The heiress married Smith, whose son took the name of Poutrel. A cadet of this family, Thomas Poutrel, settled at West Hallam in Derbyshire: “his son John married a co-heiress of Strelley in Nottinghamshire. Thomas, his grandson, left an only daughter married to Dethick of New Hall. Henry Poutrel, the last heir-male, who died in 1666, left seven daughters.” - Lysons' Derby.

Walter Poutrel occurs in 1189 in Shropshire; (Rotuli Curiæ Regis): and at about the same period we find the name in Somersetshire. “The family of Powtrell were ancient owners of Hinton-St-George, of whom were John and George Powtrell in the time of Richard I. and King John. Whether the former possessed the estate or not, is uncertain; but the latter enjoyed it, and in the time of Henry III. devised it to an only daughter and heir, married to John Giffard, who sometime resided here, but died without issue male, and the lands descended by Alice his daughter to Sir Philip Denebaud, of Pescayth in Mon­mouthshire. After many successions of this family of Denebaud, the manor of Hinton came, by the marriage of Elizabeth Denebaud, into that ancient family, who were afterwards ennobled with the barony.” - Collinson's Somerset.