Surname Worrel - Meaning and Origin

Worrel: What does the surname Worrel mean?

The last name Worrel is of English origin and means "a person who lives near a stream or a miller whose livelihood was connected to a stream or a weir." It is believed that the name was derived from a combination of both Old English language words, wer and hyll which translate as "weir" and "hill" respectively. This points to the likely location of the Worrel family in a location where a stream was either created or diverted, or where a miller used a stream as part of his craft.

The name's popularity likely stems from its usefulness in providing an identifying connection between an individual and his ancestral land or town of origin. It was also often used in records in the Middle Ages and beyond to indicate when a particular family had settled in a certain area, such as a riverbank or a miller's home.

More recent history suggests that the Worrel surname spread to the United States during the 19th century as a result of migration from England and other European countries. It can now be found in a variety of places across the globe, including the USA, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and in many other locations.

Although the exact meaning of the Worrel name is admittedly mostly speculative, it does provide an interesting reflection on the past and on the lives and communities of those with whom it has been associated throughout the centuries.

Worrel: Where does the name Worrel come from?

The last name Worrel is a relatively uncommon surname today, with its distribution largely concentrated in the United States. According to the US Census Bureau, as of 2000, the most common distributions of the Worrel surname were concentrated in the Southern states of Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Outside of the US, the Worrel surname is present in relatively small numbers in Canada and Germany, with just under 500 people currently listed in each country.

Globally, the Worrel surname is most prevalent in the United States, where there were approximately 1,541 individuals reported with the surname, making up just 0.001% of the US population during the 2000 census. The states of Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana all reported over 100 individuals with the Worrel surname, with Mississippi showing the highest population numbers.

The Worrel surname has Germanic origins and is said to mean "one who lives near the summits or tops of hills". It is likely that individuals with this surname migrated from northern Germany to the US in the late 1700s and 1800s. The surname remains relatively uncommon today, although it is slowly increasing in prevalence.

Variations of the surname Worrel

The surname Worrel is usually spelled Worrell, Worrall, Worell, Worrill, Worrille, Werrell, Wirl, Wyrall, Wirrall, Warrel, Warrell, Werell, Wrayll, Warrall, Wrall, and Wryall. They are all variations of the same surname.

Worrel is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English elements “wer”, meaning “weir/dam”, and “hild”, meaning “war”. It was a locational name for someone from Weirhild, a place in Oxfordshire, England. It is also a habitational name for anyone from any of the places in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, and Staffordshire with this same name.

The Worrel spelling is the most popular spelling in the United States, while Worrall is the most popular in the United Kingdom.

In some cases, the surname may have transformed over the years, such as Worford for Worrall, Warford for Wirrall, and Wryford for Wyrall.

The spelling variations of the Worrel surname may have also occurred due to the variety of languages and dialects that were spoken in medieval England. Variants such as Werell, Warrell, Warrel, and Wirrall originate from the Old English language, while variants such as Wyrall and Wryall come from the Middle English language.

Famous people with the name Worrel

• Wanda Worrel: world champion in women's skeet shooting
• Gary Worrel: professional skateboarder
• Kathy Worrel: former actress
• Jack Worrel: British rugby union player
• Timothy Worrel: principled prosecutor in the television series "Law & Order"
• Frank Worrel: jazz saxophonist
• William Worrel: lead guitarist in the rock band "Neighborhood Hooligans"
• Rodney Worrel: NFL football player
• Barbie Worrel: television host and producer
• Bernadette Worrel: international opera singer

Other surnames

Worrell