Contents [hide]

Halliday History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Halliday History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The name Halliday was first used by the ancient Strathclyde-Briton people of the Scottish/English Borderlands. The first Halliday family lived near the mountain called, Holy Day, in the county of Annandale. However, some sources claim the "name is derived from the slogan or war cry of the family 'a holy day, a holy day.' " 1 2

Early Origins of the Halliday family

The surname Halliday was first found in Annandale. "The Hallidays of Hoddom, Dumfriesshire, were an old family there, and probably gave their name to Halliday Hill in the parish of Dalton." 3

One of the first records of the family was found in 1303, when Adam de Halide was a juror on inquest at St. Andrews. A few years later, John Halyday was an archer of the East March in 1404 and Ambrose Halyday and David Halyday were merchants in Edinburgh in 1479. 3

Despite the general understanding that the family was Scottish in origin, early records in England, specifically the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, list Richard Haliday in Buckinghamshire and Gerard Haliday in Suffolk. Later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed: Willelmus Haliday, Johannes Halyday, and Adam Halyday. 4 The reader should be reminded that Yorkshire's proximity to the Scottish border probably points to the aforementioned Scottish origin as the borders were extremely mercurial.

One romantic source notes: "A well-known Scottish Border Clan, who from their great animosity against the Southron are said to have adopted the war-cry or slogan of A Holy Day, (Scottice, 'a Haly Day'), because the chiefs and people of Annandale, whenever they made a raid or foray upon the Saxon border, accounted the day spent in rapine and slaughter a holy one." 5

Early History of the Halliday family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Halliday research. Another 131 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1120, 1415, 1516, 1550, 1570, 1576, 1593, 1605, 1606, 1612, 1626, 1637, 1661, 1664, 1685, 1688, 1692, 1697, 1724, 1728, 1730, 1739, 1759, 1771, 1788, 1789, 1791, 1801, 1802, 1812, 1832, 1833, 1851, 1866 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Halliday History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Halliday Spelling Variations

Surnames that evolved in Scotland in the Middle Ages often appear under many spelling variations. These are due to the practice of spelling according to sound in the era before dictionaries had standardized the English language. Halliday has appeared as Halliday, Haliday, Holyday, Holiday, Holliday, Halidays and many more.

Early Notables of the Halliday family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Walter Halliday (also spelled Haliday, Halyday, and Holliday), Scottish royal minstrel at the battle of Agincourt in 1415, thought to be son of the chieftain of Annandale in Dumfries, founding member...
Sir Leonard Holliday (Hollyday or Halliday) (c. 1550-1612) founder of the East India Company, and a Lord Mayor of London (1605-1606)

Halliday World Ranking

In the United States, the name Halliday is the 7,406^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 6 However, in Australia, the name Halliday is ranked the 825^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,768 people with that name. 7 And in New Zealand, the name Halliday is the 876^th popular surname with an estimated 834 people with that name. 8 The United Kingdom ranks Halliday as 723^rd with 9,251 people. 9

Migration of the Halliday family to Ireland

Some of the Halliday family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 451 words (32 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Halliday migration to the United States +

The North American colonies beckoned, with their ample land and opportunity as their freedom from the persecution suffered by so many Clan families back home. Many Scots even fought against England in the American War of Independence to gain this freedom. Recently, clan societies have allowed the ancestors of these brave Scottish settlers to rediscover their familial roots. Among them:

Halliday Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Halliday, who settled in Maryland in 1775

Halliday Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Halliday, aged 27, who landed in New York in 1812 10
William Halliday, who arrived in New York in 1819 10
James Halliday, who settled in Petersburg Virginia in 1822
William Halliday, aged 35, who landed in New York in 1864 10
Thomas Halliday, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1877 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Halliday Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Thomas W Halliday, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1902 10

Halliday migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Halliday Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

John Halliday, aged 37, a schoolmaster, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
John Halliday, aged 12, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
William Halliday, aged 11, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
Jane Halliday, aged 9, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
Janet Halliday, aged 8, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Halliday migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Halliday Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Halliday, Scottish convict from Glasgow, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on September 3rd, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. James Halliday, Scottish Convict who was convicted in Dumfries, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Caledonia" on 5th July 1820, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
Mr. William Halliday, Jr., Scottish Convict who was convicted in Dumfries, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Caledonia" on 5th July 1820, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
Mr. Michael Halliday, (b. 1805), aged 22, Irish farmers man who was convicted in Cork, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 19th July 1827, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
William Halliday, English convict from Chester, who was transported aboard the "Albion" on May 29, 1828, settling in New South Wales, Australia 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Halliday migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Halliday Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Halliday, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Mary Catherine" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 10th June 1853 15
Mrs. Halliday, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Mary Catherine" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 10th June 1853 15
Child Halliday, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Mary Catherine" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 10th June 1853 15
Mr. T. Halliday, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Eastfield" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 12th December 1857 15
T. Halliday, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Eastfield" in 1857
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Halliday migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 16

Halliday Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Joseph Halliday, who settled in Barbados in 1686

Contemporary Notables of the name Halliday (post 1700) +

Lee Halliday (1927-2023), born Lemoine Gardner Ketcham, an American singer, dancer, and record producer
Ebby Halliday (1911-2015), born Vera Lucille Koch, an American realtor and businesswoman who founded Ebby Halliday Realtors who lived to be 104 years old
Mark Halliday (b. 1949), American poet, professor and critic
David Halliday (1916-2010), American physicist and author
Brett Halliday (1904-1977), pen name of Davis Dresser, an American mystery writer
Andrew Halliday (1830-1877), born Andrew Halliday Duff, a Scottish essayist and dramatist, born at the Grange, Marnoch, Banffshire, early in 1830 17
Sir Andrew Halliday (1781-1839), Scottish physician, born at Dumfries, Scotland, in 1781 17
James "Jimmy" Halliday (1927-2013), Scottish leader of the Scottish National Party from 1956 to 1960
David "Dave" Halliday (1897-1970), Scottish footballer and trophy winning manager
Michael Alexander Kirkwood Halliday (b. 1925), English linguist
... (Another 9 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Halliday family +

Bradford City stadium fire

Peter Halliday (1951-1985), from Bradford who attended the Bradford City and Lincoln City Third Division match on 11th May 1985 when the Bradford City stadium fire occurred and he died in the fire

Empress of Ireland

Mr. Christopher Halliday (1863-1914), Canadian Second Class Passenger from Pierson, Manitoba, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 18

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. George Alexander Halliday, British Engine Room Artificer 5th Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 19

The Halliday Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Quarta saluti
Motto Translation: The fourth to health.

Citations +

Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1820 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1820
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/caledonia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 24) Albion voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1828 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/albion/1828
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 16) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html