This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Revel,' a forgotten personal name. Mr. Lower says, 'Two places in Normandy bear the name of Reville, one near Bernai, the other in the arrondissement of Valognes. The surname still exists in Normandy.' The objection to this is that there is no prefix de in our instances, not even in the Testa de Neville, and it is found familiarly in different places widely scattered. The matter is practically settled by the occurrence of Revel as a personal name, without surname, in the Hundred Rolls. It is a common surname in found in Yorkshire in number.

Richard Revel, Somerset, Henry III-Edward I: Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I.

William Revel, Berkshire, ibid.

Revel (without surname), Somerset, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Alan Revel, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

Thomas Revel, Wiltshire, ibid.

Thomas Ryuell, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Roger Ryuell, 1379: ibid.

Adam Reuell, 1379: ibid.

Ricardus Ryuyll, 1379: ibid.

(French-Latin) the French Revel = 1 Grey, Tawny [from Latin räv-us, with French diminutive suff. -el, Latin -ell-us] 2 Pride, Joy [Old French revel; from Latin rebellare, to rebel] But the Southern French geographical name Revel is a diminutive from Latin riv-us, a brook: Montrevel, Jura, e.g. was Mons Rivelli in Latin.

Revel.—Hundred Rolls Cp. Revill.

A baronial name, from Reville, or Raville, in Normandy, Curry-Rivel and Langport in Somersetshire were granted by Richard I. to Richard Revel, or Rivel, “a person of great note, and sheriff of the counties of Devon and Cornwall for several successive years.” - Collinson's Somerset. From him it passed to his only daughter Sabina, the wife of Henry L’Orti. The Revills were ranked among the principal barons of Somerset, in the time of Henry II., and held two fees in capite (Liber Niger). They were also settled at Newbold Revel in Warwickshire, which they obtained, temp. Ed. I., by the marriage of Hugo Revell with Alicia de Wapenbury. “Hugo,” says Dugdale, “is the first whereof the Records that I have seen do make mention; son to Robert Revell (as I guess) who had to do at Swineford in Leicestershire 29 Hen. II. But of this Hugo I can say no more than that he was a Rebel against King John, for which his lands in this County were seized on; and that in 1 Hen. III., returning to his obedience, they were restored to him again. Unto this Hugo succeeded William, who had issue John and Robert; whereof John was Lord of this place in 9 Edward II., being an active man and of great trust in his time, for in 6 Edward III. he had the joynt custody of the County.” He twice served as one of the knights of the shire in Parliament, as did his son Sir William, who was in the Bishop of Durham’s retinue in the French expedition, 20 Ed. III. This latter had no issue; nor either of his brothers; and the last died 7 Henry IV., leaving three sisters his heirs. Agnes, the eldest, married John Malory. These Revells bore Ermine a chevron Gules within a bordure engrailed Sable. Fenny-Newbold, or Newbold Revell, was another of their Warwickshire manors. John Revel, a younger son of this house, settled at Ogston in Derbyshire in the fourteenth century; and his younger brother Hugh at Carnfield in the same county. John’s last heir male, William Revel, died in 1706. Hugh’s line had ended earlier. - Lysons' Derby.

The father of the Robert Revell spoken of by Dugdale was Henry Revell, who “had some concerns in Swinford in 1183, which descended to his son Robert, who had a considerable interest here, all of which he gave to the Knights Hospitallers.” - Nichol's Leicestershire. He was also Lord of Scalford in the same county.

In Devonshire the Revells gave their name to Revelstoke, where they con­tinued for five descents; “the heiress married Hurst.” - Lysons. “At Revel Grange resided from an early period a family of the name of Revel, whom we often meet in the old genealogies as connected by marriage with the superior gentry of the county of Derby. The attachment of this family to the old profession of religion exposed them to much injury in the times of the Civil War and Commonwealth. Mr. Richard Broomhead of Stannington married the heiress of the Revells about the year 1740.” - Hunter's Hallamshire.

A baronial name, from Reville or Raville, Normandy. Sansom and Roger de R. and the fief of R. are mentioned in N. 1189-95 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae). The ancestor came to England with the Conqueror. Paganus and Robert Revel had estates in Hertford and Northants 1130 (Rot. Pip.). Richard R. held two fees in barony in Somerset 1165, and two from William Fitz-William. Robert R. held lands in Norfolk, Essex, Northants (Lib. Niger). Henry Revel was one of the nobles taken at Alnwick Castle 1174 (Hov. i. 382); and in the 13th cent. Richard R. the younger held Langport and Cory, Somerset, by grant of Richard L, by service of two knights. Hence ‘Cory-Revel’ (Testa, 160). The family long continued of consequence in various parts of England.

Revell: from Réville in Manche.

John Revell was a Chesterfield alderman in the early part of last century (H.). George Revill, of Normanton, was a gentleman who contributed £25 to the Armada fund in 1588 (Sp.). Robert Revell, of Carnfield, was high sheriff of Derbyshire in 1700 (P.). The name is still to be found in Chesterfield. Revel was a name found in Cambridgeshire, Somerset, and Wilts in the 13th century (H. R.).