Show ContentsHoll History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The first bearers of the distinguished surname Holl came to England in the great wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name is occupational in origin, stemming from the primary activity of the bearer. It is derived from the Old French term "halle," which referred to a large manor house, which indicates that the original bearer of the name worked at the manor of the local Lord in some role such as a servant or chamberlain. 1 2 3

Many of the Norman noblemen who came to England with William the Conqueror soon grew dissatisfied with William's rule; as such, members of the Holl family accepted land grants from King Malcolm Canmore of Scotland, and became prominent in that country.

Early Origins of the Holl family

The surname Holl was first found in Lincolnshire, England, where the family was granted lands after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Holl family is directly descended from Earl Fitzwilliam, who held a family seat at Greatford Hall in Lincolnshire, after the Norman Conquest.

The younger son of this noble house, Arthur FitzWilliam, came to be known as "Hall" so as to distinguish him from his senior brother. Hence, Arthur Hall was the first known bearer of the name, appearing on record about the year 1090. 4

In Scotland, the name in Latin was de Aula and accordingly, the first record here was "Waldeu de Aula who witnessed a charter by Walter de Veteri Ponte a. 1200." 5

Over one hundred years later the English version of the name was in use as "John of the Hall was one of an inquest made at Berwick, 1302 and c. 1311 Thomas dictus del Halle witnessed resignation by Adam de Dowane of his land of Grenryg in the barony of Lesmahagow." 5

During this period, Latin and English for records was in use as about the same time as the last entries, we found "in 1325 mention is made of Thomas dictus de Aula, and Andreas de Aula held land in Aynstrother c. 1330. The first Hall of Fulbar in Renfrewshire was Thomas de Aula, surgeon, who for his faithful service obtained from Robert II a grant of land in the tenement of Staneley, barony of Renffrow, 1370." 5

Early History of the Holl family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Holl research. Another 232 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1340, 1376, 1400, 1423, 1426, 1454, 1456, 1463, 1470, 1485, 1550, 1574, 1581, 1600, 1610, 1613, 1619, 1620, 1627, 1637, 1646, 1654, 1656, 1657, 1660, 1661, 1662, 1664, 1665, 1667, 1668, 1669, 1672, 1674, 1687, 1688, 1690, 1715, 1716, 1730, 1776 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Holl History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Holl Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Hall, Halle, Haule, Haul, Hal, De Aule and others.

Early Notables of the Holl family

Notable among the family at this time was John Hall, known as "Mad Jack Hall" and "Crazy Jack Hall" (1672-1716), a Scottish Jacobite leader, property owner and a Justice of Peace in Northumberland, a major figure during the First Scottish Uprising in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, he was beheaded for high treason on 13 July 1716; and Lyman Hall of Georgia, one of the signers of the American Declaration of Independence on 4 July 1776.In England, Joseph Hall (1574-1656), was an English bishop, satirist and moralist; George Hall (c.1613-1668), an English Bishop...
Another 93 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Holl Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Holl Ranking

In the United States, the name Holl is the 12,205th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Ireland Migration of the Holl family to Ireland

Some of the Holl family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 77 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Holl migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Holl Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Gotth Holl, who arrived in America in 1732 7
  • Hans Wendel Holl, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 7
  • Isaac Holl, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1737 7
  • Johannes Holl, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1737 7
  • Hans Holl, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1737 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Holl Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Justus Holl, who arrived in America in 1834 7
  • Widow Holl, aged 25, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1847 7
  • A Marie Holl, aged 29, who arrived in New York, NY in 1847 7
  • Caver Holl, aged 43, who arrived in New York, NY in 1847 7
  • Philipp Holl, who arrived in North America in 1849 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Holl migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Holl Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Patrick Holl, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1828

Australia Holl migration to Australia +

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

Holl Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Holl (post 1700) +

  • Steven Holl (b. 1947), American architect and watercolorist, best known for his designs for the 2003 Simmons Hall at MIT
  • Emil Holl, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Pennsylvania, 1904 10
  • Edwin G. Holl, American Republican politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1961-66; Member of Pennsylvania State Senate 24th District, 1969-2002 10
  • William Holl the Elder (1771-1838), English engraver who was apparently of German origin 11
  • Francis Montague "Frank" Holl (1845-1888), English painter and royal portraitist, born on 4 July 1845, at No. 7 St. James's Terrace, Kentish Town, was the eldest son of Francis Holl [q. v.], engraver 11
  • Francis Holl (1815-1884), English engraver, fourth son of William Holl the Elder 11
  • Norbert Holl, German diplomat, Head of the United Nations special mission to Afghanistan from 1996 to 1997
  • Jeffrey B. Holl (b. 1970), Canadian poet and musician
  • William Holl the Younger (1807-1871), English engraver and figure engraver, best known for his book illustrations, brother of France Holl, son of William Holl the Elder
  • John Holl (1802-1869), English-born, Canadian politician in Prince Edward Island, believed to have emigrated in 1836 from Devon, appointed to the legislative council in 1840 and later became Premier of Prince Edward Island (1854-1855)
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Empress of Ireland
  • Miss Edith Holl (1900-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 12


  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  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)
  4. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  5. 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)
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. 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)
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Dick
  9. South Australian Register Monday 21st August 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) William Prowse 1856. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/williamprowse1854.shtml
  10. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  11. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 4 August 2020
  12. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html


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