Hul History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Hul was spawned by the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture that ruled a majority of Britain. It comes from the personal name Hull. 1

Alternatively the name could have been derived from Hull, an important seaport town in East Riding of Yorkshire. 2

Early Origins of the Hul family

The surname Hul was first found in the Yorkshire at Kingston upon Hull, more commonly known as Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The place is derived from the River Hull and dates back to at least 1228 3 and is home to the largest parish church in England dating back to 1285. In 1642, it was the scene of the first skirmish of the English Civil War when on orders of Parliament, the Governor of Hull, Sir John Hotham (d. 1645), shut the gates of the town to King Charles I. 4

Early feudal rolls provided the king of the time with a method of cataloguing holdings for taxation, but today they provide a glimpse into the many surname spellings in use at that time.

Peter de Hull was listed in the Assize Rolls for Staffordshire in 1199; John atte Hulle was listed in 1297; Robert in the hull was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Derbyshire in 1327; Henry and Simon Hulle were found in Yorkshire in 1309 and in Colchester in 1312; and John Hull was in the Subsidy Rolls for Cumbria (Cumberland) in 1332. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include: Elyas de la Hulle in Wiltshire; and Gunnilda de la Hull and Roger a Hull, who were both listed in Oxfordshire at that time. 2

In Somerset, Leticia atte Hulle was listed 1 Edward III (in the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 5

Later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included Elena de Hull and Robertas Hall. 2

Early History of the Hul family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hul research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1399, 1408, 1415, 1425, 1595, 1624, 1635, 1665, 1683, 1699, 1736, 1737 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Hul History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hul Spelling Variations

Hul has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Hul have been found, including Hull, Hulle, Hulls and others.

Early Notables of the Hul family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Robert Hull or Hill (d. 1425), English judge, perhaps born at Heligan, Cornwall. "In 1399 he was king's serjeant, and was called on for a 'loan' of 100l. to aid the king against the Welsh and Scotch...
Reverend Joseph Hull (1595-1665), was an English preacher from Devon who led a company of 106 sailing from England to what is now known as Weymouth in Massachusetts in 1635, but at that time was brief...
Jonathan Hull or Hulls (fl. 1737), was an English inventor, "born at Campden, Gloucestershire, in 1699. He was the first who attempted practically to employ steam in propelling a vessel in water. His...

Migration of the Hul family to Ireland

Some of the Hul family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 78 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hul family

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Huls to arrive on North American shores: Joseph Hull with his wife Agnes settled in New England in 1635 with seven children; Elizabeth and George Hull settled in Nantasket in 1630; Joseph Hull settled with his wife, seven children, and three servants, in Massachusetts in 1635..

Contemporary Notables of the name Hul (post 1700) +

Jon Hul, American pin-up artist

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Winn, Christopher, I Never Knew that about Yorkshire. Croydon: The Random House Group Limited, 2010. Print. (ISBN 978-0-09-193313-5)
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.