Beall
A surname most likely from a place name, originally meaning someone from Beal in northern England.
The #3,847 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 33,552 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Beall is generally treated as a locational surname, related to Beal, a small place in North Durham. The place-name is usually linked to an old English element meaning a ridge or hill, though early spellings vary a lot in the records. In medieval usage, people were often identified by the place they came from, so 'de Beal' or similar forms became inherited surnames.
History
The historical record shows several spellings, including Beal, Beale, and Beall, which suggests the name developed through ordinary medieval spelling variation. Bardsley specifically connects it with the hamlet of Beal in Durham, sometimes called Beal-on-the-Hill. The surname is now established in English-speaking countries, including the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Early records show the surname with the preposition 'de,' a reminder that it began as a way of saying where a person was from.
From the historical record
“(QQQ p. ao3). WilllBio Selby, de Beall, 1631 ; QQQ. ^»ou' Ic fleliil, ijSi: ilnd. P.J03. Liurence Beil, 1517 i ibid. p. lai. John Bele, i ^i : ibid. p. niil. WUlebnu SeaU', 1379 : P. T. Yorb.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances