Surname Burnell - Meaning and Origin
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Burnell: What does the surname Burnell mean?
The last name Burnell is of English origin and can be traced back to England following the Norman conquest in 1066. The name is derived from the Old French term "brunel," which is a diminutive of "brun" meaning brown. This was usually a nickname for someone who often wore brown clothes or had a tanned or brown complexion. Over time, this term was adopted as a last name and transformed phonetically into Burnell. Like many surnames, it was probably first bestowed upon an ancestor of those who bear the name today as a nickname, eventually becoming hereditary in nature. Additionally, Burnell also denotes people who came from places named Burnell in England. So, this surname could also be a locational surname indicating where someone's ancestors lived in the past. Therefore, the surname Burnell can indicate a physical characteristic of an ancestor or a geographical location.
Order DNA origin analysisBurnell: Where does the name Burnell come from?
The surname Burnell is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from an Old English personal name "Burnhilde," a combination of "burna," meaning stream, and "hild," meaning battle. Its earliest recorded use dates back to the 12th century in Yorkshire, England. The name is further associated with the village of Acton Burnell in Shropshire, England, where Robert Burnell (1239-1292), Bishop of Bath and Wells, was born.
The Burnell name spread to other countries with English colonization starting in the 17th century. As of today, the name remains fairly rare, though a good number of Burnells can be found in English-speaking countries like the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. In the UK, the name is particularly common in the areas of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and the West Midlands.
Variations of the surname Burnell
The surname Burnell is thought to have originated from an English nickname meaning “little brown one”. It could also come from a French occupational name for a doorkeeper or janitor, derived from the Old French "burle", which means a small leather bag or a warden, guardian.
Its variants and similar spellings include Burnel, Brunell, Brunel, Brunnell, Burnelle, Burnet, Burnette, Burnett, and Burney. The prefix "Burn" or "Brun" might be associated with brown hair or skin, or possibly related to locations known for brown coloration such as tree trunks or fields.
As it's often the case with surnames, they can be spelled differently over the centuries, in different geographical locations, and even from one individual record to another. These variants and spellings often arose due to both phonetic spelling traditions and errors made by record-keeping clerks.
Regarding surnames of the same origin, English surnames that also mean “brown” would have similar root origins. This includes names like Brun, Brown, Browne, or any variant thereof. For occupational based surnames, Porter could also be of similar origin due to its meaning of 'doorkeeper'.
Famous people with the name Burnell
- Jocelyn Bell Burnell: An astrophysicist from Northern Ireland who was credited with "one of the most significant scientific achievements of the 20th Century". Her discovery of pulsars has been recognized with a Nobel Prize in Physics.
- Cecil Burnell: He was a notable cricketer who played for the Somerset cricket team in the early 20th century.
- Holly Burnell: She is a British actor best known for her roles in The Host (2020) and Flack (2019).
- Burnell Taylor: An American singer who grabbed national attention after appearing on the 12th season of American Idol reaching the finals.
- Antoinette Burton: A renowned British historian and professor, specializing in postcolonial studies, World History, women and gender in the British Empire.
- Nick Burnell: A member of the English rugby union team who had played for London Welsh and Coventry.
- Kit Burnell: An English born actor who has made several appearances on film and on the stage.
- Matthew Burnell: A South African rugby player with notable performance in the Rugby Pro D2, and the Currie Cup.
- Calvert Burnell: An 18th-century British Member of Parliament.
- Leigh Burnell: An Australian professional rugby league footballer during the 1950's. These are but a few of the Burnells who have left their mark in various fields.