Show ContentsHayle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The roots of the Anglo-Saxon name Hayle come from when the family resided 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 Hayle family

The surname Hayle 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 Hayle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hayle research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1189, 1325, 1331, 1379, 1381, 1394, 1455, 1456, 1457, 1459, 1470, 1471, 1490, 1516, 1540, 1572, 1576, 1584, 1608, 1609, 1614, 1625, 1626, 1636, 1640, 1645, 1654, 1656, 1660, 1661, 1666, 1676, 1677, 1679, 1681, 1684, 1691, 1692, 1694, 1700, 1729, 1762, 1773, 1793, 1812 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Hayle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hayle Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Hayle has been recorded under many different variations, including Hale, Hail, Hailes, Hayles, Hayle, Hales, Haile and many more.

Early Notables of the Hayle family

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 Hayle Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Hayle family to Ireland

Some of the Hayle 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.


United States Hayle migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Hayle or a variant listed above:

Hayle Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Nicho Hayle, who arrived in Virginia in 1645 [8]
  • John Hayle, who arrived in Virginia in 1664 [8]
  • John Hayle, who landed in Virginia in 1664 [8]
Hayle Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Georg Hayle, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 [8]

Australia Hayle migration to Australia +

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

Hayle Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. George Hayle, (b. 1831), aged 23, Cornish agricultural labourer departing from Plymouth on 19th August 1854 aboard the ship "Clara" arriving in Portland, Victoria, Australia on 19th November 1854 [9]
  • Mrs. Mary Hayle, (b. 1833), aged 21, Cornish settler departing from Plymouth on 19th August 1854 aboard the ship "Clara" arriving in Portland, Victoria, Australia on 19th November 1854 [9]
  • Miss Hayle, (b. 1854), aged Infant, Cornish settler born aboard the ship "Clara" arriving in Portland, Victoria, Australia on 19th November 1854 [9]

New Zealand Hayle 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:

Hayle Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • G. W. Hayle, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "British Empire" in 1880 [10]
  • F. Hayle, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "British Empire" in 1880 [10]
  • A. Hayle, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "British Empire" in 1880 [10]
  • C. Hayle, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "British Empire" in 1880 [10]

Contemporary Notables of the name Hayle (post 1700) +

  • David Hayle, British co-founder of Hitech Racing, a British motor racing team in 2002
  • Gerald M. Hayle, Australian film director and screenwriter in the 1920s
  • Walter Hayle Walshe (1812-1892), Irish pioneer physician who discovered that malignant cells can be recognised under a microscope


The Hayle 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: Cum principibus
Motto Translation: Whith my chiefs


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. 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. 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.
  5. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  6. 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)
  7. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  8. 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)
  9. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_victoria.pdf
  10. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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