Late 18th century. From German (now hist.) Urbarium register of landed property and its etymon post-classical Latin urbarium, in same sense (1385 in a continental, probably German, source; from German (now hist.) Urbar landed property, revenue from landed property, register of landed property (Middle High German urbar, lit. ‘something which produces a yield or revenue’: see below) + classical Latin -ium) + -al.