Show ContentsHallsell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Hallsell is a name that was brought to England by the ancestors of the Hallsell family when they migrated to the region after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Hallsell family lived in Lancashire, as Lords of the Manor of Halsall.

Early Origins of the Hallsell family

The surname Hallsell was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat as Lords of the manor of Halsall. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086 the village of Halsall was held by Count Roger de Poitou, a Norman noble who was Earl of Lancaster, and conjecturally the Halsalls are descended from this line. "The manor [of Birkdale, Lancashire], in the reign of Henry IV., was held by the Halsalls." [1] Unfortunately, by the 17th century the manor was passed on to other families.

Perhaps this entry will shed some light into the lost manor. "By this time there had probably been an infeudation in favour of the Halsall family. In 1346, the fourth part of a knight's fee in Argar Meols was held by Otes de Halsall; he rendered 10s [(shillings)], but it was stated that the place 'had been annihilated by the sea and there was no habitation there.' From an inquisition taken in 1404, it appears that the manors of Argar Meols and Birkdale had been held by Otes' father, Gilbert, so that the transfer from the old lords to the new must have taken place about 1320. " [2]

Early History of the Hallsell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hallsell research. Another 157 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1548 and 1599 are included under the topic Early Hallsell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hallsell Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Hallsell have been found, including Hallsall, Halsall, Halshall, Hawshall, Halsell, Hallsell and many more.

Early Notables of the Hallsell family

More information is included under the topic Early Hallsell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Hallsell family to Ireland

Some of the Hallsell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hallsell family

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Hallsell were among those contributors: James Halsall landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1844.



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. 'Townships: Scarisbrick', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1907), pp. 265-276. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp265-276 [accessed 21 January 2017].


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