Previously it was assumed the name Boekel referred to the forest ("loo" in Dutch) of the lords Boc, similar to places like Boxmeer and Boxtel.

Rutger van Herpen sold or leased in 1313 or 1314 the community rights (gemene gronden) to the residents of Boekel and Volkel.

When the noble lord wanted to improve his cash position, he charged the use of any of its soil, beginning with the wasteland in his heerlijkheid.

Because the neighboring provinces of Brabant and Gelderland from 1648 officially fell under the States-General, this Land van Ravenstein [nl] more and more was seen as "foreign".

Led by Daniël de Brouwer [nl] the brothers laid the foundation for the Psychiatric Hospital Huize Padua.