The name Derrell is of English origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is a variant spelling of the name Darrell, which is derived from the Old French surname D'Airelle, meaning "from Arella." Arella was a town in Normandy, France, suggesting that the name may have originated among Norman nobility who settled in England after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Derrell can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry lists a landowner named Derrell in the county of Sussex.

During the Middle Ages, the name Derrell was primarily used by members of the English gentry and aristocracy. In the 13th century, a knight named Sir Derrell de Vere fought in the Crusades and is mentioned in several chronicles of the time.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure named Derrell Fitzwilliam served as a courtier to King Henry VIII. He is recorded in several court documents and is believed to have been involved in the dissolution of the monasteries.

In the 17th century, a Puritan minister named Derrell Goodwin became a prominent figure during the English Civil War. He was a vocal supporter of Oliver Cromwell and authored several religious treatises that were widely read at the time.

Another notable person with the name Derrell was an English explorer named Derrell Hawkins, who sailed with Sir Francis Drake on his circumnavigation of the globe in the late 16th century. Hawkins wrote a detailed account of their voyage, which remains an important historical document.

While the name Derrell has never been extremely common, it has persisted throughout English history, often associated with individuals of notable social standing or accomplishment.