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Hoile Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Hoile

What does the name Hoile mean?

The English name Hoile derives from the Old English word "holh" meaning "hole." Today, the more common variants Hoyle and Hoile, both denote the Yorkshire local denoting a "dweller in, or near, a hollow, or low land." 1 Another noted author sums up the origin this way: "a south Yorkshire dialectal pronunciation of HOLE." 2

Early Origins of the Hoile family

The surname Hoile was first found in Yorkshire where "Hoile House, so called from being situate in a hole or bottom, gave name to a family who resided there as late as the beginning of the last century (1600), if not later. It is reckoned a very ancient situation, but has nothing remarkable about it now." Watson's Halifax, 1775. A respectable family of the name still existing deduce their pedigree from Edw. Hoyle of Hoyle House in 1528; but there are other local sources which may in some instances have originated the name, as Hoile House, co. Dumfries, Hoyle, a hamlet in West Sussex. There is, or was, in Kent a family of Hoile, but from Hasted it would appear that their name was originally Hild. Hole and Hoole frequently interchange with Hoyle, and are doubtless synonymous." 3

"The old family of Hoyle of Hoyle House date back about three centuries (W. and L.). Thomas Hoyle, merchant, was lord mayor of York in 1632 and 1644." 4

"In Yorkshire and Lancashire hole is still dialectically hoyle. Any one who lived in a round hollow or pit would be Thomas or Ralph in the Hoyle." 5

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 elude to the popularity of the name in that area: Alicia in le Hoyle; Alicia del Hoyle; and Willelmus de Hoyles; all appeared in that census. 5

In Scotland, "there is a Holl near Kirriemuir and another near Meigle, Perthshire, and there are lands named Holl or Hoyle in Forfar Retours. There is also a Holl or Hole in Ayrshire. Jacobus Hoyle, burgess of Anstruther, 1669 and Agnes Hoill was married in Edinburgh, 1692." 6

Early History of the Hoile family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hoile research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1590, 1609, 1613, 1654, 1672, 1741, 1742, 1763 and 1769 are included under the topic Early Hoile History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hoile Spelling Variations

The Welsh have an extremely large amount of spelling variations of their native surnames to their credit. The earliest explanation for the preponderance of spelling variations is that when Welsh surnames were in Welsh and accordingly were difficult to translate into English. It was therefore up to the priest or the scribe taking the official records to determine how the spoken name was to be made literal. As time progressed, the old Brythonic names of Wales were recorded in English, which was especially problematic since the English language had extreme difficulty recording the highly inflected sounds of Cymraeg. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Hoile have included Hoyle, Hoile and others.

Early Notables of the Hoile family

Edmond Hoyle (1672-1769), English writer and authority on card games, originator of the phrase 'according to Hoyle.' "Hoyle is said to have been called to the bar. In 1741 he was living in Queen Square, London, and gave lessons on whist-playing. He also circulated a manuscript handbook, which developed into his famous 'Short Treatise on the Game of Whist,' first printed in 1742. In the early editions the author offers for a guinea to disclose the secret of his ' artificial memory which does not take off your Attention from your Game.' The success of his first book...
Another 97 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hoile Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hoile family to Ireland

Some of the Hoile 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 Hoile family

During the latter half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the people of Wales journeyed to North America to find a new life. They made major contributions to the arts, industry and commerce of both Canada and the United States, and added a rich cultural heritage to their newly adopted societies. A look at the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Hoile: Jeremiah Hoyle settled in Virginia in 1638; Elizabeth Hoyle settled in Barbados in 1663; William Hoyle arrived in New York with his wife and child in 1820..
  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  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)

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