NameCensus.

UK surname

Hally

A locational surname referring to someone from Halle, Germany.

In the 1881 census there were 244 people recorded with the Hally surname, ranking it #11,258 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 200, ranked #19,591, down from #11,258 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Blackford, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill, Auchterarder and Muthill, Greenloaning and Gleneagles.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hally is 416 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.0%.

1881 census count

244

Ranked #11,258

Modern count

200

2016, ranked #19,591

Peak year

1861

416 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hally had 244 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,258 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 200 in 2016, ranked #19,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 416 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Routine Occupations or Retirement.

Hally surname distribution map

The map shows where the Hally surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Hally surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hally over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 246 #8,891
1861 historical 416 #6,176
1881 historical 244 #11,258
1891 historical 301 #11,092
1901 historical 260 #12,817
1911 historical 62 #26,622
1997 modern 196 #17,859
1998 modern 215 #17,306
1999 modern 205 #17,960
2000 modern 204 #17,987
2001 modern 205 #17,683
2002 modern 212 #17,651
2003 modern 195 #18,411
2004 modern 200 #18,213
2005 modern 199 #18,198
2006 modern 193 #18,675
2007 modern 193 #18,923
2008 modern 196 #18,895
2009 modern 200 #19,028
2010 modern 205 #19,140
2011 modern 202 #19,154
2012 modern 200 #19,207
2013 modern 191 #20,124
2014 modern 194 #20,097
2015 modern 199 #19,640
2016 modern 200 #19,591

Geography

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Where Hallys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Blackford, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Perth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill, Auchterarder, Muthill, Greenloaning and Gleneagles, Aberuthven and Almondbank and Coupar Angus and Meigle. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Blackford Perth
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Perth Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill Glasgow City
2 Auchterarder Perth and Kinross
3 Muthill, Greenloaning and Gleneagles Perth and Kinross
4 Aberuthven and Almondbank Perth and Kinross
5 Coupar Angus and Meigle Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hally

These lists show first names that appear often with the Hally surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hally

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hally, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Legacy Communities

Group

Routine Occupations or Retirement

Nationally, the Hally surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Routine Occupations or Retirement, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Hally household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are characterised by high proportions of single, often never-married adults of normal retirement age or older, including many that are in the most advanced age groups. Most adults are UK born and live at high residential densities, and many of the children living with parents are in adulthood. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are uncommon, but above average proportions of households include individuals that identify with different ethnic groups. Long-term disability is relatively common, and the dominant accommodation type is flats. Unemployment rates are high, with most of those employed working in routine occupations. Few individuals have high level qualifications. Car ownership is not high.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hally is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hally is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hally falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hally is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Hally, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hally

The surname Hally is believed to have originated in Scotland. It is likely derived from the Old Norse word "hali," which means "tail" or "ridge." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a ridge or tailed hill.

The earliest known record of the name Hally dates back to the 13th century in the county of Ayrshire, Scotland. The Hally family was prominent in the parish of Galston during this time period, with several members holding positions of influence in the local community.

In the 16th century, a notable member of the Hally family was John Hally, who served as the Provost of Ayr from 1563 to 1565. He played a significant role in the town's governance during the tumultuous years of the Scottish Reformation.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Hally, born in 1625 in Kilmarnock, Scotland. He was a successful merchant and landowner, and his estate, Hally Castle, still stands today as a landmark in the region.

In the 18th century, the Hally surname began to spread beyond Scotland as members of the family migrated to other parts of the British Isles and, eventually, to the American colonies. One notable figure from this period was William Hally, born in 1742 in Edinburgh, who served as a captain in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

The name Hally has also been found in various place names throughout Scotland, such as Hally Hill in Ayrshire and Hally Burn, a stream in Dumfriesshire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, reflecting the influence and presence of the Hally family in these areas.

Over the centuries, the Hally surname has undergone several variations in spelling, including Hallie, Halley, and Halyie. However, the core pronunciation and meaning have remained largely consistent, reflecting the name's Scottish heritage and origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hally families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hally surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Perthshire leads with 77 Hallys recorded in 1881 and an index of 72.38x.

County Total Index
Perthshire 77 72.38x
Middlesex 29 1.22x
Lanarkshire 19 2.48x
Angus 15 6.83x
Glamorgan 13 3.15x
Midlothian 12 3.78x
Cheshire 10 1.91x
Argyllshire 9 13.64x
Renfrewshire 9 4.90x
Dunbartonshire 7 10.99x
Lancashire 6 0.21x
Roxburghshire 6 13.97x
Yorkshire 6 0.26x
Ayrshire 4 2.25x
Stirlingshire 4 4.58x
Somerset 3 0.79x
Kent 2 0.25x
Selkirkshire 2 9.32x
Buteshire 1 6.96x
Cumberland 1 0.49x
Denbighshire 1 1.12x
Hampshire 1 0.21x
Isle of Man 1 2.27x
Oxfordshire 1 0.68x
Ross-shire 1 1.54x
Shropshire 1 0.49x
Staffordshire 1 0.13x
Sussex 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Auchterarder in Perthshire leads with 30 Hallys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1010.10x.

Place Total Index
Auchterarder 30 1010.10x
Blackford 16 1230.77x
Govan 10 5.27x
Chester St Oswald 9 95.04x
Dundee 9 10.98x
Inveraray 9 1058.82x
Meigle 9 1139.24x
Dunning 8 601.50x
Cardiff St Mary 7 30.80x
Cardross 7 91.50x
Kensington London 7 5.31x
Perth East Church 7 69.79x
Shoreditch London 7 6.81x
Cathcart 6 60.36x
Jedburgh 6 142.52x
Liff Benvie 6 18.00x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 3.91x
Barony 4 2.06x
Hackney London 4 3.01x
Liverpool 4 2.34x
Old Cumnock 4 101.27x
Roath 4 21.33x
Bethnal Green London 3 2.91x
Blairgowrie 3 71.26x
Bothwell 3 14.43x
Mile End Old Town London 3 5.95x
Richmond 3 81.74x
Bath St James 2 50.25x
Edinburgh Old Church 2 78.43x
Larbert 2 38.24x
Maryhill 2 13.32x
Melrose 2 37.04x
Neath 2 23.81x
South Leith 2 5.60x
Stirling 2 18.15x
Todwick 2 1428.57x
Whitechapel London 2 8.56x
Beckenham 1 9.46x
Chester Holy Trinity 1 40.82x
Dunblane 1 39.22x
East Greenock 1 5.76x
Eastbourne 1 5.44x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 15.17x
Edinburgh St Stephens 1 16.00x
Inveresk 1 11.63x
Inverkip 1 23.09x
Islington London 1 0.44x
Kilbride 1 56.50x
Kilmalcolm 1 45.45x
Kimberworth 1 7.67x
Lewisham 1 2.32x
Llanfwrog 1 90.91x
Logierait 1 53.48x
Lorton 1 312.50x
Madderty 1 232.56x
Maughold 1 29.41x
Newcastle Under Lyme 1 7.06x
Newport 1 37.88x
Oldham 1 1.10x
Oxford St Michael 1 163.93x
Perth West Church 1 19.80x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 9.75x
St Mary Aldermanbury 1 714.29x
Stornoway 1 11.79x
Wardleworth 1 6.22x
Whitchurch 1 25.19x
Wilton 1 101.01x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hally surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 6
Ellen 3
Jane 3
Margaret 3
Ann 2
Bridget 2
Louisa 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Catherine 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Gwenny 1
Honora 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Johanna 1
Josephine 1
Kate 1
Maria 1
Martha 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Hally surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 5
James 4
Thomas 4
George 3
Joseph 3
Michael 3
William 3
Patrick 2
Abursing 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Ebenezer 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Herbert 1
Jas. 1
Luke 1
Richard 1

FAQ

Hally surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hally surname in 1881?

In 1881, 244 people were recorded with the Hally surname. That placed it at #11,258 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hally surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 200 in 2016. That gives Hally a modern rank of #19,591.

What does the Hally surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Halle, Germany.

What does the Hally map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hally bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.