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

Hales, 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 Hales surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hales in America

Hales is the 4240th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hales surname appeared 8,363 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Hales.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hales 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 Hales

The surname Hales has its origins in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "hale," meaning a nook, remote valley, or secluded place. This suggests that the name may have been originally given to someone who lived in a sheltered or isolated location.

One of the earliest records of the name Hales can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions several places with variations of the name, such as Hales in Norfolk and Hales in Shropshire. These place names likely gave rise to the surname as people began to adopt the names of the areas they lived in or came from.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mentions individuals with the name Hales in counties like Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. During this time, the name was often spelled differently, with variations such as Hale, Hayles, and Halys.

One notable figure from history bearing the surname Hales was John Hales (1516-1572), a prominent English jurist and writer who served as a judge and member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another was Sir Edward Hales (1576-1654), a renowned English theologian and scholar who played a significant role in the English Reformation.

In the 17th century, the name gained further prominence with the birth of Sir John Hales (1584-1656), an English theologian and scholar who was a member of the renowned Tew Circle and a vocal opponent of religious intolerance. Around the same time, John Hales (1639-1711), an English scientist and inventor, made important contributions to the development of ventilation systems and pneumatic machinery.

Another noteworthy figure was Alexander Hales (1737-1803), an English clergyman and scientist who conducted groundbreaking experiments on plant physiology and is considered one of the pioneers of plant biology. His work on the movement of sap in plants and the role of air in plant growth laid the foundation for modern plant physiology.

The surname Hales has a rich history that spans several centuries and is firmly rooted in its English origins. Despite various spelling variations over time, the name has endured and continues to be associated with notable individuals from various fields, reflecting the diverse contributions made by those who have borne this surname throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hales

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

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 Hales 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 Hales 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 Hales was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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