Oriel

The name Oriel is derived from the Old French word 'oriol', which means a small room or study located on an upper floor, or a gallery or porch attached to a building. The name itself has its roots in the Latin word 'oriolum', meaning a small room or apartment.

Oriel is believed to have originated as a given name in England during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. It was likely initially used as a descriptive surname for someone who lived or worked in an oriel, before eventually becoming adopted as a first name.

One of the earliest recorded uses of Oriel as a given name can be found in the 14th century, when a monk named Oriel de Bohun lived and worked at the Benedictine monastery in Glastonbury, Somerset, England.

In the 15th century, the name gained some prominence when Oriel College was founded at the University of Oxford in 1326. The college was named after a wealthy benefactor, Adam de Brome, whose family home was called "Le Oriel".

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Oriel. One was Oriel Rokeby (1625-1696), an English lawyer and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Richmond, Yorkshire, in the late 17th century.

Another was Oriel Williamson (1781-1860), a British clergyman and academic who served as the Regius Professor of Greek at the University of Cambridge from 1814 to 1860.

In the 19th century, Oriel was the name of a character in the novel "The Heir of Redclyffe" by Charlotte M. Yonge, published in 1853. This literary reference may have contributed to the name's continued use during that period.

A more recent example is Oriel Gray (1920-2005), a British actress who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout the mid-20th century, including roles in "The Importance of Being Earnest" (1952) and "The Quatermass Xperiment" (1955).

Finally, Oriel Moresby (1925-2012) was a British naval officer and author, best known for his books on maritime history and naval operations during World War II.