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Halls History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Halls History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The ancestors of the bearers of the Halls family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found on a neck of land in Devon. A neck of land is a narrow piece of land between two rivers near where they flow into the ocean, or a narrow piece of land that connects an isthmus or peninsula to the mainland.

"The family of Hals, or Als, are said to have been an ancient British tribe, so denominated from Alsius Duke of Devonshire, the father of Orgar; unless we credit another account, which states them to have descended from John de Als, lord of the barton of Als, now Alse, in the parish of Buryan." 1

Early Origins of the Halls family

The surname Halls was first found in Devon and Cornwall.

"The manor of Laneseley, [in the parish of Gulval, Cornwall] from which the parish derived its name, belonged at a very early period to the family of De Als, who are said to have taken their name from a manor called Alsa or Als, in the parish of Buryan. In 1266 Simon De Als gave this manor to the priory of St. Germans, for the health and salvation of his soul, that of his wife, and those of his ancestors and relations. It was a bargain with the prior and his canonical brethren, for the eternal happiness of the whole family. From this period until the dissolution, the prior and his successors claimed this manor, and with it the ecclesiastical income of the rectory, throughout the parish. But at the time of the Reformation, this property being seized by the crown, the manor was granted to Beaumont and Barry, from whom it passed to the family of Tripcony about the year 1565. By a descendant of this family it was mortgaged to Sir William Hals, of Fentongollan, who was lineally descended from De Alsa, its ancient possessor, and who was ancestor of Hals the historian. In this family it became the subject of much litigation and trouble, in consequence of some mortgages and sales, that led to a suit in chancery; after which it was purchased by the Onslow family, in whom it is still vested." 1

Early rolls revealed: Alfris Halls c. 1100; Robert Hals in the Pipe Rolls for Devon in 1182 and then later as a Knights Templar in Lincolnshire in 1185. 2

In Somerset, the following were found listed 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign): Richard atte Halse; John de Halse; and John de Halse. 3

"Halse was the name of an eminent family of Kenedon in Sherford parish, near Kingsbridge, during the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries; to this family belonged a Justice of the Common Pleas and a Bishop of Lichfield, both of whom lived in the reign of Henry VI. Matthew Halse was a churchwarden of Littleham, Exmouth, in 1730, and the name still occurs in the town. Halse is a Somerset parish, and an old Taunton family bore the name in the 16th century." 4

"Kennedon, in the [parish of Stokenham, Devon], in the fifteenth century became a seat of the family of Hals. Here lived John Hals, Justice of the Common Pleas in 1423, and here was born his son, of the same name, who, in 1450, was made Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry." 5

Early History of the Halls family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Halls research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1320, 1423, 1530, 1600, 1605, 1608, 1636, 1649, 1655 and 1737 are included under the topic Early Halls History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Halls Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Halls include Halse, Hals, Halls and others.

Early Notables of the Halls family

Notables of the family at this time include John Hals, who was appointed one of the Judges of the Common Pleas in 1423, and who built a mansion in Kenedon, Devon; and William Hals, the celebrated historian, who was the son of James Halse, the M.P. for St. Ives about 1530. William Hals (1655-1737?) was a Cornish historian, best known for his unfinished work "The Compleat History of Cornwall." He was born at Tresawen, Merther, and was the second son...
Another 79 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Halls Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Halls Ranking

In the United States, the name Halls is the 10,070^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Halls migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Halls or a variant listed above:

Halls Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Halls, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 7
Samuel Halls, who landed in Maryland in 1662 7
Margaret Halls, who landed in Maryland in 1672 7
John Halls, who arrived in Maryland in 1673 7

Halls Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Purbick Halls, who arrived in Virginia in 1717 7

Halls Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Oloff O Halls, who arrived in Wisconsin, Maryland in 1867 7

Halls Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Henry Halls, who landed in Arkansas in 1900 7

Halls migration to Australia +

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

Halls Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Mr. William Halls, English convict who was convicted in Norfolk, England for life, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8

Halls Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Halls, English convict who was convicted in Essex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" in May 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
Mr. John Halls, (b. 1803), aged 30 born in St. Agnes, Cornwall, UK convicted in Bodmin on 2nd July 1833, sentenced for life for stealing a cart and cow, transported aboard the ship "Moffatt" in 1834 to Van Diemen's Land, Tasmania, Australia 10
Mr. John Halls (b. 1803), aged 30, Cornish settler convicted in Cornwall, UK on 2nd July 1833, sentenced for life for stealing a cart, a pair of shafts, an axle tree, and cartwheels from John Tremain, transported aboard the ship "Moffatt" on 4th January 1834 to Van Diemen's Land, Tasmania, Australia 11
Mr. William Halls, English convict who was convicted in Essex, England for life, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 2nd November 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
James Halls, who arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship "Brightman" in 1840 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Halls 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:

John Halls, aged 23, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" between 1841 and 1850
Ralph Clement Halls, aged 18, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" between 1841 and 1850

Halls Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

John Halls, aged 23, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" in 1850
Ralph Clement Halls, aged 18, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" in 1850
Joseph Halls, aged 21, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Schiehallion" in 1872
William H. Halls, aged 20, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Blairgowrie" in 1875
Emily Halls, aged 20, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Blairgowrie" in 1875

Contemporary Notables of the name Halls (post 1700) +

John James Halls (1791-1834), English painter, a native of Colchester, was Christened by his father after Jean-Jacques Rousseau 14
Andrew Thomas "Andy" Halls (b. 1992), English footballer who has played since 2009
John Halls (b. 1982), former English footballer who played from 2000 to 2012
Mr. Walter Halls, British alderman, held the position of Sheriff of Nottingham, England from 1937 to 1938, he was Lord Mayor in 1940
Evelyn Halls (b. 1972), Australian fencer at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics
Jo Halls (b. 1973), Australian fencer at the 2000 and 2008 Summer Olympics

Historic Events for the Halls family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Wilfred C Halls (b. 1917), English Ordinary Signalman serving for the Royal Navy from Brightlingsea, Essex, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 15

HMS Repulse

Mr. John William Halls, British Stoker 2ne Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 16

Citations +

Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 1st March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/tasmanian_convicts_cornish.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_convicts.pdf
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th March 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BRIGHTMAN 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Brightman.htm
Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html