Hall Surname

Meaning and origin of the surname Hall

Topographic or occupational surname derived from Old English heall ('large residence', 'manor house'), denoting someone who lived or worked at a manor hall.

Historically and linguistically, Hall belongs to the English and Scottish family of surnames. It is conventionally pronounced "HAWL".

United States Census frequency and ranking

In the official 2010 United States Census, Hall was recorded 407,076 times, ranking as the 45th most common surname in the nation.

This represents an incidence rate of approximately 138.00 bearers per 100,000 Americans, or roughly 1 out of every 725 residents.

Race and ethnicity distribution

According to official decennial Census genealogy microdata, individuals bearing the surname Hallreported the following racial and ethnic affiliations in the 2010 US Census:

Source: US Census Bureau, 2010 Census Surnames Data. Percentages may not sum to exactly 100% due to independent rounding or suppression of small cell counts for privacy protection.

History of the surname Hall

Hall is an ancient English and Scottish topographic and occupational surname derived from Old English heall (Proto-Germanic hallō, meaning 'covered room' or 'hall'). In medieval society, the hall was the principal residence of the lord of the manor, the administrative center of the local court, and the gathering place for communal banquets and judicial assemblies.

The surname identified either an individual residing in or adjacent to the manorial hall, or a functionary (such as a steward, bailiff, or domestic officer) employed in the manor hall's daily administration. Early documentary records include Roger de la Halle in Cambridgeshire in 1273 and Walter de Halle in Yorkshire in 1297. In the Scottish Borders, the Halls were recognized as a formidable riding clan of the Middle March.

Established in colonial Virginia and New England in the 1630s, Hall became a prominent fixture across American history, borne by Lyman Hall (signatory of the Declaration of Independence), talk show host Arsenio Hall, and musician Daryl Hall. In the 2010 US Census, Hall ranked 45th nationwide with 407,076 recorded bearers (138.00 per 100,000 Americans).

Notable people with the surname Hall

• Arsenio Hall (1956–), American comedian, actor, and groundbreaking late-night talk show host
• Monty Hall (1921–2017), Canadian-American game show host of Let's Make a Deal
• Daryl Hall (1946–), American singer, songwriter, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee
• Anthony Michael Hall (1968–), American actor and member of the 1980s Brat Pack