Find out how popular the last name Hale is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Hale.

Hale, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Hale surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hale in America

Hale is the 362nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hale surname appeared 86,618 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 29 people would have the surname Hale.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hale to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Hale

The surname Hale has its origins in England and dates back to the Anglo-Saxon era. It is derived from the Old English words "hale" or "halig," which mean "healthy" or "wholesome." The name was likely given as a nickname to someone who appeared hale and hearty or to describe someone's physical strength and well-being.

Hale is a common place name in various parts of England, and the surname may have also been derived from these locations. For instance, there is a town called Hale in Cheshire, another in Hampshire, and a village in Lancashire. These place names are believed to have originated from the Old English word "halh," meaning a nook, corner, or remote valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Hale can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Hale." This suggests that the name was already established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named William Hale was appointed as the Archbishop of Dol in Brittany, France, by King Henry III of England. Another early record is of a Sir Roger Hale, who served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire in 1324.

During the 16th century, Sir Matthew Hale (1609-1676) was a prominent English judge and writer on legal matters. He is remembered for his influential works, such as "The History of the Pleas of the Crown" and "The History of the Common Law of England."

Other notable individuals with the surname Hale include the American author and playwright Sarah Josepha Hale (1788-1879), who is credited with successfully campaigning to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday in the United States. Additionally, the English astronomer William Hale (1797-1870) made significant contributions to the study of sunspots and solar phenomena.

In the 20th century, the American actor and comedian Alan Hale Jr. (1921-1990) is widely recognized for his role as the Skipper on the popular television series "Gilligan's Island." Another notable figure is the American author and journalist Sarah Hale Folger (1858-1940), who was a pioneer in the field of women's education and served as the president of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hale

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Hale.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Hale was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Hale has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Hale was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Hale, please contact us.

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