Pursell Family Crest, Coat of Arms & Pursell Name Origin

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Origin of the Name Pursell

The origin of the name Pursell was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives. Variants of Pursell include Purtill, Purtell and Purssell. This name came to Ireland with the Normans, after the Anglo-Norman Invasion of 1172, being derived from the French word 'porcel'. The seat of the head of the family was in the ruined Castle of Loughmoe, a well known landmark near Thurles. He was known as Baron of Loughmoe, a title conferred by the first Earl of Ormond, as Lord of the Palatinate. In Irish the name is written Puirseil. The Purcells are a good example of the saying 'hiberniores hibernicus ipsis', for not only are they found as Bishops of Ferns and Waterford but as staunch fighters for the Irish cause. The variants Purtill and Purtell are numerous in County Tipperary while Purcell is numerous in Clare as well as in most Counties of Munster and in County Kilkenny.