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"Browell" to date we have found three definitions:

- an Irish one which identifies an individual who lived on or near to a hilltop (there is a lot of evidence that Browell has its roots in Ireland back as far as the 14th century)

- a Welsh one which suggests that it is a derivative from Ab-Rowell. The use of Ab or Ap before a name meant 'son of' (equivalent to Mac in Scotland) - which then became distorted, thus Browell with the 'a' dropped. Rowell means 'dweller by a rough hill'

- In Devon and Cornwall the name is pronounced 'Rowehill' (a distortion from Rowell) and this was a surname used as early as 1333. There is a great similarity between Welsh and Cornish names - in fact Cornwall use to be called West Wales, so the surname would have survived in 'Wales' to be distorted to Browehill - ultimately becoming 'Browell'. Thus 'son of the dweller by a rough hill'.

Strangely enough though the majority of Browell's now are to be found in the North East of England - maybe this is to do miners chasing work between the pits in Wales and Durham & Northumberland and the tin mines in Cornwall?