This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: kintad Surnames: HALL Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.hall/13794.2.1.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: The earliest research, that of Joseph S. Hall, Jr., refers to the origin of the name being German and dating back to the time of William the Conqueror in 1066. All seem to agree with him as to the origin of the name coming from "Halle" and meaning a large house or a meeting place. There were Halls in Manchester about 1500 which is before the exile found in research. Another interesting side is I have been told I have a "Viking blood vessel in my eyes" which gives credence to the opinion of Tony Harvey-Hall in Melbourne. My William Hall, buried in Charleston, SC, is shown as a "native of Ireland" on his headstone. This fits with Bill Grimes research (see below) that had the Halls exiled to Ireland in the early 1600s. Our records show he was born in 1723 and died in 1767. >From an old post by Bill Grimes - List owner I have: >From what I have been able to find out, the origin is related to the word 'hall' meaning house or maybe manor house. Back when people only had one name, they were differentiated by by what they did or where they lived or worked. Thus John who worked in the fields became John of the field, and John who worked or lived at the hall became John of the hall, which later evolved as John Field and John Hall. This of course is a simple example. The Hall Clan was a Clan on the Scottish-English border in the 1400s and 1500s and were infamous Rievers or Raiders. King James I broke the power of the Riever Clans in the early 1600s, rounded them up and 'planted' (exiled) them to Ireland. This was the so-called 'Plantation of Ireland'. Over time the Halls became as Irish as the native Irish. Also believe the word 'hall' comes from the german word 'halle'. If anyone has better info, please let us all know. Bill Grimes Pickens Genealogy Group has some excellent Hall family history -- SOME RECOLLECTIONS"byEDWARD OCTAVUS HALL ( 1837 - 1913 )1905 I hope this helps someone -- and maybe they can connect too my William of Charleston. Kinta Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.