- Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland
The name Hale is an old Anglo-Saxon name. It comes from when a family lived in a remote valley, or nook. Checking further we found the name was derived from the Old English halh, which had the same meaning. Conversely the name could have been a nickname for someone who was “healthy, stout, a brave man, chief, or hero” having derived from the Anglo-Saxon word “hale.” [1]
Early Origins of the Hale family
The surname Hale was first found in Cheshire, but there are other records of this local name throughout England. Parish named Hales were found in Stafford, Norfolk and Worcester. Norfolk’s earliest reference was Alexander de Hales, who was listed there in 1245. [2]
The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists: Richard de la Hale in Oxfordshire; and Walter en le Hale in Sussex at that time. Robert in the Hale was listed in the Close Roll, temp. 2 Edward I and according to Kirby’s Quest, John atte Hale was listed in Somerset, temp. 1 Edward III [3] [4]
Alexander of Hales (d. 1245), the celebrated theologian, and one of the first of the Christian Philosophers of the thirteenth century, was born in Gloucestershire at a town or village called Hales. [5]
Thomas Hales (fl. 1250), was an early English poet and religious writer, was a Franciscan friar, and presumably a native of Hales (or Hailes) in Gloucestershire. [5]
The name quickly became native to Scotland as seen by Michel de Hale del counte de Edeneberk who rendered homage to King Edward I in his brief conquest of Scotland in 1296. [6]
Later some of the family were found at Kings Walden in Hertfordshire. “On the north side of the chancel of the church is a chapel, the burial-place of the Hale family, erected by William Hale, who died in 1648.” [7]
Hailes Castle is a 14th century castle about a mile and a half south west of East Linton, East Lothian, Scotland. It dates back to c. 1300. Hailes Abbey near Winchcombe in Gloucestershire was built in 1245 or 1246 but little remains of the abbey today.
Early History of the Hale family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hale research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1189, 1379, 1331, 1394, 1455, 1456, 1490, 1457, 1459, 1459, 1470, 1471, 1470, 1540, 1516, 1572, 1608, 1584, 1656, 1576, 1654, 1625, 1640, 1645, 1626, 1626, 1684, 1660, 1661, 1681, 1666, 1762, 1694, 1762, 1609, 1676, 1636, 1700, 1692, 1614, 1691, 1654, 1656 and are included under the topic Early Hale History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Hale Spelling Variations
Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Hale were recorded, including Hale, Hail, Hailes, Hayles, Hayle, Hales, Haile and many more.
Early Notables of the Hale family (pre 1700)
Notables of the family at this time include Sir Frank Hale; Sir Stephen Hales (before 1331-1394), of Testerton, Norfolk, an English soldier and politician; John Hales, the medieval Bishop of Exeter (1455-1456); John Hales (also Hals or Halse; died 1490), Dean of Exeter between 1457 and 1459; Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield in 1459; Lord Privy Seal (1470-1471); John Hales (c.1470-1540), of The Dungeon, Canterbury, Kent, an administrator and Baron of the Exchequer; John Hales (c.1516-1572), a writer, administrator and politician; John Hales (died 1608), the owner of the Whitefriars in Coventry at which two of the Marprelate tracts were printed… Another 130 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hale Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Hale World Ranking
In the United States, the name Hale is the 296th most popular surname with an estimated 92,019 people with that name. [8] However, in Australia, the name Hale is ranked the 831st most popular surname with an estimated 4,728 people with that name. [9] And in New Zealand, the name Hale is the 483rd popular surname with an estimated 1,411 people with that name. [10] The United Kingdom ranks Hale as 442nd with 14,626 people. [11]
Migration of the Hale family to Ireland
Some of the Hale family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
