Haley Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Grantees of Arms
1) Edward Haley of Edgwarebury, Middlesex, 27 January 1679-80 by William Dugdale and Hy. St. George
2) John Haley of Gutters Edge, Hendon, county Middlesex, 1777

Haley Surname Name Meaning, Origin, History, & Etymology
This popular Anglo-Saxon last name developed as an English habitational name denoting a person from any of several towns/villages named Haley, primarily in West Yorkshire, derived from the Old English words heg, meaning “hay” and leah, meaning “woodland clearing”. There have may also have been a place (probably a parish) in Oxfordshire known as Hailey, recorded as Hyle and Hayle in the Hundred Rolls of 1279 AD. It is also possible the name is topographic, and referred to a person who lived next to a hay clearing. Yet another origin theory as to the history/meaning of the Haley surname is offered by Elsdon Smith Coles in his 1956 book titled Dictionary of American Family Names: “Dweller at the way, or age, leading to the hall”. In some cases, it is also an Irish surname, as it is a spelling variant of the anglicized Irish surname Healy.

Surname Spelling variants
Spelling or names with similar etymologies include Hailey, Hayley, Healy, Haly, Heylei, Haylay, Haighley, Heighley, Halley, and Hauley.

Early Bearers of the Haley Surname
The first known bearers of this surname was William de Hayleg who was documented in the Feet of Fines of Warwickshire c. 1251 AD. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 AD, a census of Wales and England, known in Latin as Rotuli Hundredorum lists one bearer of this surname: Petrus Haley (Oxfordshire). The Poll Tax Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379 AD also list two bearers: Johannes de Haylay and Willelmus Havlay.

Popularity & Geographic Distribution
The last name Haley ranks 869^th in popularity in the United Status as of the 2000 Census. The name ranks particularly high in the following five states: Massachusetts (428^th), Maine (445^th), Tennessee (476^th), Oklahoma (511^th), New Hampshire (532^nd), and Arkansas (532^nd).

The surname Haley frequency/commonness ranks as follows in the British Isles: England (1,558^th), Scotland (2,286^th), Wales (1,890^th), Ireland (4,751^st) and Northern Ireland (4,751^st). In England, it ranks highest in West Yorkshire In Scotland, the surname ranks highest in North Lanarkshire. In Wales, it ranks highest in Conwy.

The name is also present throughout the remainder English speaking world:  Canada (1,719^th), New Zealand (3,094^th), Australia (1,784^th), and South Africa (18,753^rd).

Haley Family Tree & Haley Genealogy

Baron Hailey
The lineage of ancestry of this family begins with George Hailey, a yeoman, of Arlesey, county Bedford, England, who died in 1712. His son, George Hailey, of Shefford, county Bedford was born in 1716. He was a surgeon. He had a son named Thomas. Thomas Hailey of Pirton, county Hertford, was born in 1751. He had a son named William. William Hailey, of Oundle, Northants, and Arlesey, was born in 1789. He had a son named Hammet. This son, Hammey Hailey, of Tickford Lodge, Newport Pagenell, county Buckingham, was born in 1823. In 1864, he married Maria Coelia, daughter of John Clode of Great Linford, and had issue with her as follows: 1) Hammet Reginald Clode (married Rhoda, daughter of Reverend S. Cotes and had issue), 2) Rupert Clode (married Nesta Cotes Masterman), 3) William (see below), 4) Ethel Maria, and Violet Madeline (married Leslie Brutton Clode). His son, Sir William Malcom Hailey, of Shahpur in the Punjab, and Newport Pagnell, county Buckingham, England was born in 1872. He was educated at Oxford and received an M.A. in 1929. He held numerous positions and was Governor of Punjab from 1924-1928. In 1896, he married Andreina Alessandra, daughter of County Hannibale Balzani of Rome, Italy, and had issue with her as follows: Alan Balzano (Lieutenant of the Pioneer Corps, served in World War II) and Gemma (b. 1898).

Middlesex to Rhode Island
John Haley was born in London, Middlesex, England c. 1590 AD. He married Joan, daughter of John Speed, and had a son with her named William. William was born in London c. 1620 (although an alternative forefather is also suggested). He came to colonial America. He had a son named John Haley who was born in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island c. 1650. He married Ann Lloyd and had a son with her named Edward. Edward was born in Virginia c. 1675. He married Catherine Prerrin and had issue with her as follows: John Anderson Sr., Valentine, Sarah, William, Benjamin, James David, Ambrose, Elizabeth, and Thomas. Three of his sons are discussed as follows:

1) John Anderson Haley Sr. was born in Virginia in 1710. He married Mary, daughter of Richard Anderson. Geni.com states the following regarding John: “Perhaps the first land owned by John and Mary Haley was a tract of 400 acres lying on the south side of Robinson Run in Spottsylvania, which they purchased for £50 from Robert Williamson and his wife Elizabeth on the 2nd of October, 1744”. He had issue as follows: Elizabeth, Mary, John R., Thomas, James Robert, Susannah Suckey, Humphrey, Ambrose, Henry, Sarah, Benjamin, William, Michael and Federick.
2) William Haley was born in Virginia in 1714. He married Henrietta (surname unknown) and had a son with her named Frances. He died in Kentucky in 1803.
3) James David Haley was born in Virginia in 1715. He married Isabella Esther Murray and had issue with her as follows: Isaac, Elizabeth, David W., Valentine Julia, Lucy, Sarah “Sally”, and Sally.

Ireland to Georgia
Thomas Isaac Haley Sr. was born in Larn, county Cork, Ireland c. 1735. He came to colonial America. He was the father of the following children: James Rabun, Isaac T., Isiah, Ludy, Mark, Prissy, Richard, Thomas Jr., and William Sr. His sons are discussed as follows:
1) James Rabun Haley was born in Virginia c. 1767. He married Elizabeth F. Parr and had issue with her as follows: Joel Thomas, Luday, James Meeksmick, John, Ludicy, Nancy, Rebecca, and Sarah.
2) Isaac T. Haley was born c. 1756. He had issue as follows: Harvie, Isaiah, James, Josiah C., Ludy, Mark, Richard, Thomas, and William.
3) Thomas Haley Jr. was born c. 1757. He was the father of the following issue: Elizabeth, Francis, Lucy, Mary, Mildred, Richard, Sarah, Thomas, and William.
4) William Halley Sr. was born c. 1755. He had the following issue: Alfred, Holly, Jacob M., Permelia, Robert H., Thomas, and William Jr.

Early Marriages of Haleys
1) Elizabth Haley married Thomas Platon in Badsey, Worcester, England in November 1543
2) James Haley married Ane Brodberie in Worksop, Nottingham, England in January 1576
3) Richard Haley married Jone Readers at Church-Knowle, Dorset, England in January 1565
4) James Haley married Mary Master in Saint Andrew, Plymouth, Devon in February 1593
5) Robert Heley married Jane Shafto in Saint Nicholas, Newcastle Upon Tyne, England in January 1584
6) Thomas Hayly married Rebecka Androwes in S. Clement Danes, Westminister, England in May 1580
7) Jane Haley married John Elliston in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in December 1721
8) Sarah Haley married William Hutchings in Kittery, Maine in January 1752
9) Thomas Haley married Mary Smith in Newbury, Massachusetts in January 1727
10) Edward Haley married Anna Cloud in Holt Trinity or Old Swedes Church, New Castle, Delaware in June 1727
11) Samuel Haley married Mary Reed in Boston, Massachusetts in April 1741
12) Robert Heyley married Mary Humfry in Saint Michan, Dublin, Ireland in June 1640

Early American and New World Settlers
Some of the earliest settlers in colonial America bearing this name include:
1) Richard Heylei, age 22, came to New England aboard the Christian in 1634
2) Ellin Haly, age 55, came to Virginia aboard the Primrose in 1635
3) Thomas Haley came to Maine in 1640
4) James Haley came to Virginia in 1654
5) John Haley came to Virginia or Maryland in 1665
6) Ann Haley, Irish, came to Virginia 1654
7) Dennis Haley came aboard the Society in 1679
8) Robert Haley came to Maryland in 1668
9) Joseph Haley came to South Carolina between 1670-1692
10) Oliver Haley came to Virginia in 1763
11) Robert Haley came to Virginia in 1673
12) Samuel Haley came to Maryland in 1673
13) Derby Haley came to Philadelphia in 1685
14) Morris Haley came to Virginia 1699
15) Joshua Haley came to Virginia in 1701
16) John Haley came to Virginia in 1714
17) Richard Haley came to Maryland in 1720
18) Alice Haley came to Virginia in 1724
19) Melchor Haley came to Maryland in 1746
20) Joseph Haley came to Pennsylvania in 1749
21) David Haley came to Virginia in 1755
22) John Hailey came to Virginia in 1772

Several thousand members of the Haley family came to the United States through Ellis Island, during the nineteenth century, including:
1) George Haley came from Sheffield, England aboard the Celtic in 1904
2) William John Haley came from Cornwall, England aboard the Saint Paul in 1904
3) Alice Haley came from Bradford, England aboard the Cedric in 1903
4) William Haley came from Knottingley, Yorkshire aboard the Cedric in 1903
5) Maria Haley came from Glodbek aboard the Zeeland in 1903
6) Isaac Thornton Haley came from Bradford aboard the Cedric in 1905
7) Hugh Haley came from Hamilton, Scotland aboard the California in 1910
8) Jeremiah Haley came from Abbeyfeale aboard the Majestic in 1905
9) William Haley came from Sunerland, England aboard the Mauretania in 1911
10) Thomas Haley came from St. Ausetell, England aboard the Philadelphia in 1913
11) John Haley came from Dublin, Ireland aboard the Germanic in 1892
12) Daniel Haley came from Dublin, Ireland aboard the Germanic in 1892

Some of the earliest settlers in Canada bearing this name include:
1) Thomas Haley came to Nova Scotia in 1745
2) Pierce George Haley and wife came to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749
3) John Haley came to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1750
4) Richard Hayley came to Nova Scotia in 1760
5) Abija Haley came in 1797
6) John Haley, age 50, came to Prince Edward Island in 1810

Some of the earliest settlers in Australia bearing this name include:
1) Morris Haley came from Middlesex, England aboard the Fortune or Alexander in 1802
2) Patt Haley came from Huntindonshire, England aboard the Fortune or Alexander in 1802
3) Dennis Haley came from Wiltshire, England aboard the Atlas in 1816
4) Thomas Haley came from Middlesex, England aboard the Sir William Bensley in 1816
5) George Haley came from Middlesex, England aboard the Hadlow in 1818
6) Jeremiah Haley came from London, England aboard the Canada in 1819
7) Margaret Haley came from Middlesex, England aboard the Mermaid in 1828
8) George Haley came to New South Wales aboard the James Aikin in 1869
9) Fred Augustus Haley came to New South Wales aboard the Magnolia in 1856
10) Paul Haley came to New South Wales aboard the Prince Alfred in 1863
11) John and Mary Haley, both Irish, came to Port Phillip Bay aboard the Diamond in 1841
12) Margaret Haley came to Melbourne aboard the Donald Mackay in 1855
13) Anna Haley came to Brisbane aboard the Prince Consort in 1862
14) Mary Haley came from Liverpool to Hobart aboard the Prompt in 1857

Some of the earliest settlers in New Zealand bearing this name include:
1) Susan Haley, of Middlesex, England, a servant, came to Otago aboard the Buckinghamshire in 1874
3) Joseph Haley came to Hawkes Bay aboard the Halcione in 1874

Notables
There are hundreds of notable people with the Haley surname. This page will mention a handful. Famous people with this last name include:
1) William John Clifton Haley (1925-1981) was an American rock and roll musician active in the 1950s, known for songs such as Rock Around the Clock, See You Later, Alligator, and Shake, Rattle, and Roll, considered to be one of the first people to popularize the genre, born in Highland Park, MI
2) John Hailey (1835-1921) was a member of the US House of Representatives from the Idaho Territory from 1885-1887 and 1873-1875, born in Smith County, Tennessee
3) Charles Lewis Haley (1964) was a former linebacker in the NFL who plated from 1986-1999 for two teams: Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, having won 5 Super Bowls, born in Gladys, Virginia
4) James Andrew Haley (1899-1981) was a member of the US House of Representatives from 1953-1977, born in Jacksonville, Alabama

5) John Joseph Haley Jr. (1897-1979) was an American vaudevillian actor, comedian, singer, dancer, and radio host born in Boston, Massachusetts, best known for her portrayal of the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz
6) Alexander Murray Palmer Haley (1921-1992) was a black American writer and author, best known for Roots: The Saga of an American Family, which was made into a famous television miniseries that aired on ABC in 1977, born in Ithaca, New York, having served in the US Coast Guard from 1939-1959
7) Michael Haley is a Canadian ice hockey played who has played in the OLH, ECHOL, AHL, and NHL from 2002-2018, born in Guelph, Ontario
8) Edmond Halley (1656-1742) was an English astronomer, physicist, mathematician, and meteorologist,  born in Haggerston, Middlesex, who constructed at observatory on Saint Helena, whose observations of helped prove Isaac Newton’s laws of motion, and used such laws to predict the periodicity of Halley’s Comet
9) Joshua Hailey was an American privateer in the War of 1812, having commanded the True Blooded Yankee and attacked British commerce in the Irish Sea, evening seizing an island which he held for 6 days
10) Oscar E. Hailey (1870-1958) was the 16^th and 18^th Lieutenant Governor of Idaho from 1927-931 and was a member of the Idaho Senate from 1919-1926, born in Illinois

Haley America Civil War Veterans
There were several soldiers with the last name Haley who served in the American Civil War, including the following:
1) Robert Haley of the 1^st Regiment Indiana Cavalry (Union)
2) Joseph Haley of the 124^th Regiment Ohio Infantry (Union)
3) Melvine J. Haley of the 16^th Regiment New York Heavy Artillery (Union)
4) Samuel Haley of the 2^nd Regiment California Infantry (Union)
5) Mathew of the 2^nd Regiment New York Cavalry (Union)
6) Jeremiah H. Haley of the 14^th Regiment Vermont Infantry (Union)
7) Bartholomew Haley of the 6^th Regiment Massachusetts Infantry (Union)
8) William J. Haley of the 31^st Regiment North Carolina Infantry (Confederate)
9) Elbert Green Haley of the 7^th Regiment Mississippi Infantry (Confederate)
10) Barney Haley of the 30^th Regiment Tennessee Infantry (Confederate)
11) William Henderson Haley of the 11^th Regiment Missouri Infantry(Confederate)
12) Michael Haley of Smith’s Company, Florida Cavalry (Confederate)
13) John S. Haley of the 15^th Field Battery Texas Light Artillery (Confederate)
14) James A. Haley of the 64^th Regiment Virginia Mounted Infantry (Confederate)

Haley America Revolution Veterans
There were several soldiers with the last name Haley who served in the Revolutionary War, including the following:
1) Private Caleb Haley
2) Alesander Haley of Pennsylvania
3) Private Daniel Haley of Virginia
4) David Haley of Georgia
5) Dragoon George Haley of Virginia
6) Private Hugh Haley of New Jersey
7) Private John Haley of Virginia
8) Private Joseph Haley of Virginia
9) Luther Haley of New Jersey
10) Private Morris Haley of Virginia
11) Private William Haley of Virginia
12) Private Samuel Haley of New Hampshire
13) Private Hezekiah Haley of Connecticut
14) Private Robert Haley of Connecticut
15) Private Joshua Haley of New Hampshire

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

1) (London, and Edgware-Bury, co. Middlesex). Az. three goats pass. ar. a chief of the last. Crest—A goat’s head erased ar. gorged with a chaplet gu.
2) (Eartham, co. Sussex). Or, on a cross az. a cinquefoil betw. four mascles of the field. Crest—On a crescent ar. a cross patonce gu. (Also see O’Haly, Healy, Haly).
3) Gules a fess checky azure and argent between in chief two arrows in saltire points upward between the upper parts thereof a mullet of five points between a pair of wings conjoined argent and in base an escutcheon Gules a thistle slipped and leaved or within a bordure argent. Crest: A demi-swan wings elevated and addorsed argent holding in the beak a pair of balances or. Source: USHR.
4) Hayley – (co. Salop: granted 1701, to Wm. Hayley, of Cleobury Mortimer). Or, on a cross az. a cinquefoil betw. four mascles of the first. Crest—A crescent ar. charged with a cross pattee gu. Source: Burke’s.
5) Hayley – Or, a fret gu. Crest—A demi boy ppr. Source: Burke’s.