Halley is a surname of

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

origin, meaning: one who lived at, or near the hall in the grove or open place in a wood.Surnames Meaning - Halley
/ref> The derivation is probably from the Olde English pre 7th century use of Old English heall ‘hall’, ‘large house’ + leah ‘woodland clearing’. following enforced land clearances. At the height of the wool industry in the 14th century, whole villages in Derbyshire, were cleared to make way for sheep pastures. Combined with the later 18th century

Highland Clearances The Highland Clearances ( gd, Fuadaichean nan Gàidheal , the "eviction of the Gaels") were the evictions of a significant number of tenants in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, mostly in two phases from 1750 to 1860. The first phase resulte ...

it is estimated that there are between seven and ten thousand such villages that have disappeared from British maps. Following the introduction of personal taxation in the 13th century, in England, surnames became required. The earliest recorded use of the surname Halley is held in the village of

Beeley Beeley is a village and civil parish in northern Derbyshire, England. Located near Bakewell in the Derbyshire Dales, it is situated on the B6012 road, between Rowsley and Edensor. The civil parish population at the 2011 Census was 195. It i ...

Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southern end of the Pennine range of hills and part of the National Forest. It borders Greater Manchester to the nor ...

, England, for a

witness In law, a witness is someone who has knowledge about a matter, whether they have sensed it or are testifying on another witnesses' behalf. In law a witness is someone who, either voluntarily or under compulsion, provides testimonial evidence, e ...

called Georgii Halley, dated 27 January 1538. The Beeley

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

records show an Anna Halley, who was christened on the 27 December 1577 and an Elizabeth Halley who married John Caleshaw on 13 August 1567.

People with the surname Halley

Antoine Halley Antoine Halley (1593 – 3 June 1675) was a French professor and poet. Halley was born at Bazenville near Bayeux. A professor of belles-lettres and Principal of the Collège du Bois, at the University of Caen, he succeeded Antoine Gosselin and d ...

(1593–1675), French poet *

Dave Halley David Halley (born 12 October 1986) is a former Wales international rugby league footballer who played as a er and in the 2000s and 2010s. He plays as an amateur for Bradford Dudley Hill RLFC. He played at club level for the Bradford Bulls a ...

(born 1986), English rugby league player *

Edmond Halley Edmond (or Edmund) Halley (; – ) was an English astronomer, mathematician and physicist. He was the second Astronomer Royal in Britain, succeeding John Flamsteed in 1720. From an observatory he constructed on Saint Helena in 1676–77, H ...

(1656–1742), English Astronomer Royal *

George Halley George Halley (29 October 1887 – 18 December 1941) was a Scottish professional footballer who made 220 appearances as a right half in the Football League for Burnley, Bradford (Park Avenue) and Southend United. He also played in the Scotti ...

(1887–1941), Scottish footballer *

Heather Halley Heather Halley (born September 28, 1969) is an American film, television, stage and voice actress. She is perhaps best known as the English voice of Para-Medic in the ''Metal Gear'' series and was an announcer for several awards ceremonies, incl ...

, American actress *

Henry Hampton Halley Henry Hampton Halley (April 10, 1874 – May 23, 1965) was an American Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) minister and religious writer. He was best known as author of ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', first published in 1924. History Halley was bo ...

(1874–1965), author of ''Halley's Bible Handbook'' * Ijah Halley (born 2001), Canadian soccer player *

Ina Halley Ina Halley (January 9, 1927 – June 7, 1992) was a German actress. Selected filmography * '' The Cuckoos'' (1949) * ''The Merry Wives of Windsor'' (1950) * ''Five Suspects'' (1950) * ''Bluebeard'' (1951) * ''The Prince of Pappenheim'' (1952) * '' ...

(1927–1992), German actress * Janet Halley (born 1952), American legal scholar * Patrick F. Halley (1895-1956), merchant and politician in Newfoundland (now part of Canada) *

Paul Halley Paul Halley (born 1952 in Romford, England) is a keyboardist, vocalist and composer. He is perhaps best known as being a member of and composer for the Paul Winter Consort. Biography Paul Halley was born in England in 1952. His father was a ...

(born 1952), English musician * Paul-Louis Halley (1934–2003), French businessman *

Peter Halley Peter Halley (born 1953) is an American artist and a central figure in the Neo-Conceptualist movement of the 1980s. Known for his Day-Glo geometric paintings, Halley is also a writer, the former publisher of ''index Magazine'', and a teacher; he ...

(born 1953), American abstract painter *

Rich Halley Rich Halley (born November 25, 1947 in Portland, Oregon) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and composer. He has released 24 recordings as a leader. As Down Beat described him: “Oregon-based saxophonist Rich Halley has been turning out sma ...

(born 1947), American jazz tenor saxophonist and composer *

Robert Halley Robert Halley (13 August 1796 – 18 August 1876) was an English Congregational minister and abolitionist. He was noted for his association with the politics of Repeal of the Corn Laws, and became Classical Tutor at Highbury College and Prin ...

(1796–1876), English non-conformist minister, educationalist and abolitionist *

Robert Halley (politician) Robert Halley (20 October 1935 – 10 January 2021) was a French politician and businessman. Biography In 1961, Halley, alongside his father, Paul-Auguste, and his brother, Paul-Louis, founded the retail group Promodès, where he would spend h ...

(1935–2021), French politician and businessman *

Rudolph Halley Rudolph Halley (June 19, 1913 – November 19, 1956) was an attorney and politician from New York City. Early life and career Born in Harrison, New York and raised in the South Bronx, Halley graduated from Townsend Harris High School at age 14, ...

(1913–1956), American politician and attorney *

Rufus Halley Rufus Halley (1944 - 28 August 2001) was a Roman Catholic priest of the Missionary Society of St. Columban who spent more than 20 years promoting ecumenical dialogue between Christians and Muslims in Asia. A native of Killoteran, County Waterfor ...

(1944?–2001), Catholic missionary *

Russell Halley Russell Halley (5 October 1862 – 6 July 1909) was a Scottish-born New Zealand cricketer who played first-class cricket for Canterbury from 1886 to 1891. Personal life Halley was born in Dundee. After he migrated to New Zealand he was a frequ ...

(1862–1909), New Zealand cricketer *

Victor Halley Victor Halley (1904-1966) was a trade unionist and socialist in Northern Ireland, who identified the cause of labour with the achievement of an all-Ireland republic. A Presbyterian, Halley was born at 19 Carew Street, Belfast on 15 January 1904, ...

(1904–1966), nationalist trade unionist in Northern Ireland

Fictional characters

Sid Halley Sid Halley (John Sidney Halley) is a fictional character in four Dick Francis novels, ''Odds Against'', '' Whip Hand'', ''Come to Grief'', ''Under Orders'' and one follow-up book by Felix Francis, ''Refusal''. He is a former British jump racing Ch ...

, fictional detective from Dick Francis's novels

References

{{surname, Halley English-language surnames

People with the surname Halley

Fictional characters

See also

References