• Surname Origins
• Early Documents which mention Healds (before 1600)
  • Lancashire
  • Cheshire
  • Yorkshire
  • Derbyshire
  • Kent and Sussex

• Heald Placenames
• Heald Births and Marriages Index
  • Listings to 1625
• Later References (1600-1800)

Although some other etymologies have been suggested, there appears to be no documentary evidence for them. The earliest forms of the surname seem always to have been "del Helde", or similar, meaning "of the steep bit". It almost certainly evolved several times independently, in a number of separate unconnected locations. Several examples still exist of The Heald as a placename in Lancashire, Cheshire, Yorkshire and Derbyshire (see Heald Placenames); there may have been more when the word was still part of the everyday language.

Note that 'surnames' in the Middle Ages were far less settled than they later became. Depending on the circumstances the same person might be identified in several different ways, and their children might be identified in different ways again. Equally, another family, quite unrelated, might later move to the helde, and take over the name. So the fact that someone is referred to on this page as 'of the helde' does not necessarily mean that their family would have kept this identifier.

There is no clear date when the surname became an immutable family name passed down from father to son. In general the great landowners adopted inherited surnames early on, from the 1100s onwards; townspeople followed in due course, and eventually peasants. But what actually happened varied from individual to individual: in some cases surnames were still not fixed as late as the 16th century, and some people were still using personal by-names instead of family names.

In later centuries the "Heald" surname was apparently sometimes confused with the more widespread "Hale" (at least in the American Colonies), but originally the two words had quite different meanings:

Ekwall: Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place Names (1960)

"HALE: from (OE) halh = a corner, ie usually a remote valley or a recess in a hill"

UPDATE:
For further discussion, see post 674 by Bill Heald on the Heald discussion board at Genforum, and the various replies to it, including this 'in defence of topography'.

Early documents which mention Healds (before 1600)

(These are just the references I have seen so far. There are almost certainly surviving documents in other counties which also mention Healds. Click on the 'date' links for expanded summaries). Lancashire "Little can be added to the accepted origin of the name, a 'dweller near a slope'. The surname has existed for centuries at and near Charnock Richard and Salford, probably representing the survival of separate independent families in each of those areas." McKinley, R.A. -- Surnames of Lancashire English Surname Series, vol. 4 (Leopards Head Press, 1981) McKinley cites (most of) the following:

Lancaster
1305	Robert del Helde is granted a lifetime tenancy from William de Dacre on a messuage and 12 acres of land in Ellale [ie Ellel, just south of Lancaster]
Farrer, W. -- Lancashire Fines: Final Concords of the County of Lancaster, part 1 p.206 (Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, vol. 39) (1896)
"Blackburnshire"
1246	Richard del Held and Geoffrey de Cheydesle are 'attached' to stand bail for Robert de Warwyck, accused of robbery.
Parker, J. -- Assize Rolls of Lancaster, p.84 (Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, vol. 47) (1904)
Oswaldtwistle
1379	Ada del Held is listed under "incole & labor'" (peasants and labourers), and is assessed for 4d for the poll tax. (PRO E 179/130/28/1d m 3)
Fenwick, Carolyn C. -- The Poll Taxes of 1377, 1379 and 1381. (Oxford, OUP: Records of Social and Economic History, New Series 27) (1998).
Chorley and Charnock Richard
1501	"Sir" Thurstan Held is owed 5s. 4d., according to the will of Sir William Farington, knight.
Raines, F.R. -- A History of the Chantries within the County Palatine of Lancaster, being the Reports of the Royal Commissioners of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Queen Mary (Chetham Society, vol. 60) (1862), citing Worden Evidences.
1518-19	William Held (age 51) testifies for Richard Haidock in a land dispute with John Singleton, concerning the title to lands and tenements at Charnock and Heath Charnock.
Fishwick -- Pleadings and Depositions in the Duchy Court of Lancaster at the time of Henry VII and Henry VIII, vol 1 p.79 (Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, vol. 32) (1896)
1524	"Sir" Thurstan Helde is a trustee ("feoffee") of the Farington estates; and one of the two priests of the parish church of St Nicholas, Leyland, when Sir Henry Farington, knt, endows a new chantry. [Note: from the context, it appears that "Sir" was a courtesy title the Faringtons habitually gave to all priests]. By 1529 Sir Thurstan was no longer the priest.
Raines, F.R. -- A History of the Chantries within the County Palatine of Lancaster, being the Reports of the Royal Commissioners of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Queen Mary (Chetham Society, vol. 60) (1862), citing Worden Evidences.
Referenced in Farrer, W. and J. Brownbill -- Victoria History of the County of Lancashire vol 6, p.9 (1906-1911, reprinted 1992)
1546	John Heilde and Peter Heild each rent a tenement at Heath Charnock from the chantry of Lathom, respectively paying 22s 3d and 11s 1d a year.
Raines, F.R. -- A History of the Chantries within the County Palatine of Lancaster, being the Reports of the Royal Commissioners of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Queen Mary (Chetham Society, vol. 60) (1862)
1556	Robert Heyld provides strong-arm muscle for Adam Holden, bailiff of Lord Mountegle, abducting two mares and two geldings in a dispute with Richard Haydock over lands in Heapey and Chorley.
	John Held of Chorley (aged about 60), tenant of Lord Montegle, testifies in support of Montegle's claim.
Fishwick -- Pleadings and Depositions in the Duchy Court of Lancaster at the time of Henry VII and Henry VIII, vol 3 pp.205-207 (Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, vol. 40) (1899)
Lowton with Kenyon (wapentake of West Derby)
1381	Roberto del Held is listed "ux' cult'" (married, peasant), and is assessed for 4d for the poll tax. (PRO E 179/130/24/3 m 1)
Fenwick, Carolyn C. -- The Poll Taxes of 1377, 1379 and 1381. (Oxford, OUP: Records of Social and Economic History, New Series 27) (1998).
Newton-le-Willows
1332	William del Held is assessed for 2s 8d in tax.
Rylands, J.P. -- Lancashire Subsidy, 1332: The Exchequer lay subsidy roll of Robert de Shireburn and John de Radcliffe, taxers and collectors in the county of Lancaster) p.11 (Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, vol. 31) (1896)
1341	Will. del Held witnesses a lease.
Lumby, J.H. -- de Hoghton Deeds and Papers, p. 234 (Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, vol. 88) (1936)
Pilkington
1323	Robert son of Robert del Helde and Henry his brother were allegedly 'in force and aid' in 1314 when Henry son of Henry le Millere of Totyngton killed John son of Tille de Clifton at Clifton; Robert del Helde of Pilkington and Henry son of Robert del Helde of Pilkington are accused of having been part of a group which stole 12 oxen and 2 cows at Hawerthyn (Haughton ?) in 1318, and likewise a mare at Dokenfeld; Henry of the Helde is said to have been part of the group who captured and summarily beheaded Adam Banaster at Charnock Richard when the revolt Banaster had led was crushed in 1315; Henry del Helde is said to have been part of a group led by William de Bradshaw who swore mutual allegiance at Blackrod in 1323, and then rode out terrorising the people; he is also said to have previously been an accomplice in the theft of four oxen, stolen two cows, and been a common thief.
Tupling, G.H. (ed) -- South Lancashire in the Reign of Edward II: as illustrated by the pleas at Wigan recorded in the Coram Rege [Court of King's Bench] roll no.254, pp 30,36,38,47 (Chetham Society, 3rd Series, vol.1) (1949)
Cheetham
1332	Adam del Held is assessed for 18d of tax at Cheetham.
Rylands, J.P. -- Lancashire Subsidy, 1332: The Exchequer lay subsidy roll of Robert de Shireburn and John de Radcliffe, taxers and collectors in the county of Lancaster) p.37 (Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, vol. 31) (1896)
Salford
1359	Ellis del Helde holds a messuage in Salford from William de Radcliffe.
William Farrer and J. Brownbill -- Victoria History of the County of Lancashire (1906-1911, reprinted 1992) vol 4, p.209 note 54 (quoting Townley MS. DD, no 1452)
1393-4, 1397	Ellis del Helde had been outlawed for treason; his bastard son Henry has obtained possession of the messuage and now holds it.
VCHL vol 4 p.209 note 54 (quoting Townley MS. DD, no 1452) VCHL vol 4 p.207 note 38 (quoting Dods. MSS. clxviii, fol 163 &c, no. 21)
1399	Henry del Helde and Emmota his wife are given a burgage in the borough of Salford.
VCHL vol 4 p.207 note 38 (quoting Dods. MSS. clxviii, fol 163 &c, no. 12)
1543	Rob Helde has 20s. in goods, and is assessed 2d. for the lay subsidy. [Note: there is no Heald in Salford in the lay subsidies of 1524, 1563 or 1600]
Tait, J. (ed) -- Taxation in the Salford Hundred, 1525-1802, p.20,112 (Chetham Society, New series, vol.83) (1924)
Oldham
1379	Margery del Helde is a godmother to John de Cudworth, heir to the manor of Oldham.
VCHL vol 5 p.95 note 36 (quoting Townley MS. DD, no 1500)
1381	Margota del Held is assessed for 12d for the poll tax. This implies somewhat higher status than a peasant, who would have paid 4d. (PRO E 179/130/29 m 1 c 3)
Fenwick, Carolyn C. -- The Poll Taxes of 1377, 1379 and 1381. (Oxford, OUP: Records of Social and Economic History, New Series 27) (1998).
Spotland (west and north of Rochdale)
1309	The feudal service and obediance of William son of Henry de la Held and his descendents are pledged to Whalley Abbey by Alexander de Spotland.
	"Heald or Yeald Barn in Spotland preserves the remembrance of this family to the present day [1848]"
Hulton, W.A. -- Whalley Coucher: The coucher book or chartulary of Whalley Abbey, p.784 (Chetham Society, 1st Series, vol. 16) (1848)
1481	Robert Helde born to William Helde and Isabel de Chadwyk Helde, of Chadwyck, Spotland, Lancashire.
LDS International Genealogical Index (patron-submitted record)
Ashton-under-Lyne
1422	The seat assigned to the wife of Adam de Held in the church at Ashton-under-Lyne.
Harland, J. -- Three Lancashire Documents of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries, p 115 (Chetham Society, 1st Series, vol.84) (1868)
Heaton Norris
1377-81	Johannes le Halder is assessed 2s 0d for the poll tax. (PRO E 179/130/29 m 3 c 2)
Fenwick, Carolyn C. -- The Poll Taxes of 1377, 1379 and 1381. (Oxford, OUP: Records of Social and Economic History, New Series 27) (1998).
Not yet investigated
PRO E 179/130/28/83 (cited by McKinley; a variant numbering of the Oswaldtwistle poll tax record above ?)
See also: Heald births and marriages: Lancashire, before 1625

Cheshire