The place is named for Cuthbert Burrel, owner of a nearby ranch.[3] In the 1850s and 1860s, nearby Elkhorn Station functioned as a stage stop.[3] A post office was established at Burrel in 1912,[3] but was eventually shut down, with mail now routed through nearby Riverdale. By 1971, Burrel had only 43 residents, a store, and a post office.[5]
Burrel's only school is Burrel Union Elementary, which is Kindergarten through 8th grades. Students in the district usually attend high school in Riverdale.
1234Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, California: Word Dancer Press. p.1009. ISBN1-884995-14-4.
