Show ContentsHaldane History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Haldane family

The surname Haldane was first found in Glasgow, where "Halden filius Eadulf was one of the witnesses to Earl David's Inquisitio into the territorial possessions of the church of Glasgow a. 1124. The name Healfdene, the 'Half-Danes,' an appellation of the Hocingas and the Secgans, who took part in the campaign against Finn in the lay of Beowulf, later became a common Old English personal name, Heal(f)dane, Latinized Haldanus." 1

"Halfdene, a name occurring in the Saxon annals, is considered by Ferguson to imply a Danish extraction on one side only-"half Dane." Hence perhaps the surname of the Scottish family. Among the tenants in chief in Norfolk, appears a Godwinus Haldein. Haldanus, Haldane, and other forms also occur in Domesday, principally in the eastern counties." 2

Exploring in more detail the English branch, we found that "this surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Haldane' (Yonge). Haldanus, Essex; Haiden, Cheshire; Haldene, Yorkshire (Domesday)." 3

The Domesday Book did list Haldein, Haldanus, and Halden as all existing at that time in the wapentake of Staincross, West Riding of Yorkshire. Another entry was found for Haldein, Halden 1066, 1086 in Norfolk. 4 5

In Early Yorkshire Charters: Volume 1, we found this early for the family. "The chartulary of Malton contains a number of references to the family of Haldane. Roger son of Haldane was living in I202 when he and Beatrice his wife, daughter of Matilda Franceis, Ketell deScardeburgh, and Andrew his step-son, were sued by Agnes, the relict of Hugh, son of Elwin, for dower in her late husband's free tenement in Scarborough. She remitted her claim for 20s. "

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had listings of the name as a forename and surname: Haldin de Stalham, Yorkshire; Haldanus Minister, Norfolk; Robert Haldeyn, Suffolk; and John Haldeyn, Suffolk.

"In the Hundredorum Rolls the personal name (not surname) appears as Haldanus, Haldeyn, Haldeynus, and Haldoyn, all in Norfolk." 3

Early History of the Haldane family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Haldane research. Another 273 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1109, 1124, 1131, 1170, 1208, 1255, 1286, 1296, 1358, 1418, 1443 and 1614 are included under the topic Early Haldane History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Haldane Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Haldane, Haldan, Halden, Haldin, Haldenstoun and many more.

Early Notables of the Haldane family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Haldane Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Haldane migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Haldane Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Archibald Haldane, who arrived in Virginia in 1655

Canada Haldane migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Haldane Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • David Haldane, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749

New Zealand Haldane 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:

Haldane Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Andrew Haldane, Scottish blacksmith from Innerleithen travelling from Leith aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 8th January 1858 6
  • Mrs. Betsy Haldane, Scottish settler from Innerleithen travelling from Leith aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 8th January 1858 6
  • Miss Catherine Haldane, Scottish settler from Innerleithen travelling from Leith aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 8th January 1858 6
  • Miss Helen Haldane, Scottish settler from Innerleithen travelling from Leith aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 8th January 1858 6
  • Miss Margaret Haldane, Scottish settler from Innerleithen travelling from Leith aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 8th January 1858 6
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Haldane (post 1700) +

  • James H. Haldane, American Democratic Party politician, Presidential Elector for New York, 1884 7
  • Harold A. Haldane, American politician, Candidate in Alaskan Independence primary for Governor of Alaska, 1998 7
  • Robert Haldane (1772-1854), Scottish divine, son of a farmer at Overtown, Lecropt, on the borders of Perthshire and Stirlingshire, and was named after Robert Haldane, then proprietor of Airthrey 8
  • James Alexander Haldane (1768-1851), Scottish religious writer, youngest and posthumous son of Captain James Haldane of Airthrey House, Stirlingshire
  • Daniel Rutherford Haldane (1824-1887), Scottish physician, president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, son of James Alexander Haldane [q. v.] 8
  • Archibald Richard Burdon Haldane (1900-1982), Scottish social historian and writer social historian and author
  • Robert Haldane (1764-1842), English-born, Scottish religious writer, eldest brother of James Alexander Haldane [q. v.], born 28 Feb. 1764 in Queen Anne Street, Cavendish Square, London 8
  • Richard Burdon Haldane KT, OM, PC, KC, FRS, FBA, FSA (1856-1928), 1st Viscount Haldane, Lord Chancellor and 'Father of the Territorial Army'
  • John Burdon Sanderson Haldane (1892-1964), British geneticist and evolutionary biologist awarded the Darwin Medal in 1952
  • Lewis Haldane (b. 1985), Welsh footballer
  • ... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. James Cargill Haldane, American 2nd Class passenger from Boston, Massachusetts, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 9


  1. 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)
  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. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  5. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  6. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  7. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  8. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
  9. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/


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