Judge Jeremiah Murry Burrell, presiding as a judge of the Westmoreland County Court in 1852, responded to the petition of citizens of Allegheny Township requesting the establishment of a new township within the boundaries of Allegheny Township as it then existed. After due consideration, a new township was formed with the remaining portion of Allegheny Township forming the Eastern Boundary; Washington Township as the Southern Boundary; Franklin Township as the Southwest Boundary; Puckety Creek as the Western Boundary; and the Allegheny River, separating Westmoreland County from Allegheny County, became the Northern Boundary. The newly formed township was given the name of Burrell Township, in honor of Judge Jeremiah Murry Burrell.

Continuing efforts to establish a more efficient government directly involving more citizens, a new petition was presented to the Court of Westmoreland County in 1878 requesting the further division of Burrell Township into two parts. Judge James A. Logan on January 18, 1879, granted the request of the petition and divided the area into Upper Burrell and Lower Burrell Townships.

The Official Charter declaring the City of Lower Burrell as a Third Class City in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was signed by Governor George M. Leader on January 12, 1959. Today, the City of Lower Burrell is still one of the youngest Third Class Cities in the State of Pennsylvania. 1999 marked the 40th. anniversary of the city becoming a Third Class City.