Hallse History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Hallse

What does the name Hallse mean?

The name Hallse is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived on a neck of land in Devon. A neck of land is a narrow piece of land between two rivers near where they flow into the ocean, or a narrow piece of land that connects an isthmus or peninsula to the mainland.

"The family of Hals, or Als, are said to have been an ancient British tribe, so denominated from Alsius Duke of Devonshire, the father of Orgar; unless we credit another account, which states them to have descended from John de Als, lord of the barton of Als, now Alse, in the parish of Buryan." 1

Early Origins of the Hallse family

The surname Hallse was first found in Devon and Cornwall.

"The manor of Laneseley, [in the parish of Gulval, Cornwall] from which the parish derived its name, belonged at a very early period to the family of De Als, who are said to have taken their name from a manor called Alsa or Als, in the parish of Buryan. In 1266 Simon De Als gave this manor to the priory of St. Germans, for the health and salvation of his soul, that of his wife, and those of his ancestors and relations. It was a bargain with the prior and his canonical brethren, for the eternal happiness of the whole family. From this period until the dissolution, the prior and his successors claimed this manor, and with it the ecclesiastical income of the rectory, throughout the parish. But at the time of the Reformation, this property being seized by the crown, the manor was granted to Beaumont and Barry, from whom it passed to the family of Tripcony about the year 1565. By a descendant of this family it was mortgaged to Sir William Hals, of Fentongollan, who was lineally descended from De Alsa, its ancient possessor, and who was ancestor of Hals the historian. In this family it became the subject of much litigation and trouble, in consequence of some mortgages and sales, that led to a suit in chancery; after which it was purchased by the Onslow family, in whom it is still vested." 1

Early rolls revealed: Alfris Halls c. 1100; Robert Hals in the Pipe Rolls for Devon in 1182 and then later as a Knights Templar in Lincolnshire in 1185. 2

In Somerset, the following were found listed 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign): Richard atte Halse; John de Halse; and John de Halse. 3

"Halse was the name of an eminent family of Kenedon in Sherford parish, near Kingsbridge, during the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries; to this family belonged a Justice of the Common Pleas and a Bishop of Lichfield, both of whom lived in the reign of Henry VI. Matthew Halse was a churchwarden of Littleham, Exmouth, in 1730, and the name still occurs in the town. Halse is a Somerset parish, and an old Taunton family bore the name in the 16th century." 4

"Kennedon, in the [parish of Stokenham, Devon], in the fifteenth century became a seat of the family of Hals. Here lived John Hals, Justice of the Common Pleas in 1423, and here was born his son, of the same name, who, in 1450, was made Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry." 5

Early History of the Hallse family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hallse research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1320, 1423, 1530, 1600, 1605, 1608, 1636, 1649, 1655 and 1737 are included under the topic Early Hallse History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hallse Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Hallse are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Hallse include: Halse, Hals, Halls and others.

Early Notables of the Hallse family

Notables of the family at this time include John Hals, who was appointed one of the Judges of the Common Pleas in 1423, and who built a mansion in Kenedon, Devon; and William Hals, the celebrated historian, who was the son of James Halse, the M.P. for St. Ives about 1530. William Hals (1655-1737?) was a Cornish historian, best known for his unfinished work "The Compleat History of Cornwall." He was born at Tresawen, Merther, and was the second son...
Another 79 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hallse Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hallse family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Hallse or a variant listed above: William Halse, who settled in Boston in 1765.

Sources +

Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital