Show ContentsHalten History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Halten family

The surname Halten 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 Halten family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Halten 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 Halten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Halten Spelling Variations

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

Early Notables of the Halten family

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


United States Halten migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Halten Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • E M Halten, aged 30, who landed in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1836 [6]

Australia Halten migration to Australia +

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

Halten Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • James Halten, aged 28, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Victoria Regia"


  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. 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)


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