Dale Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Dale last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Dale last name
Meaning of the Dale last name: valley. Dale is an English surname for someone who lived in a valley, from Old English dæl and Old Norse dalr. The Norse word fits its home in the north of England, in Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire. Curiously, Sir Thomas Dale, an early governor of the Jamestown colony in Virginia, brought the last name to America in 1611.
Arms associated with the Dale name
Coats of arms associated with the Dale last name belong to the English heraldic tradition, each with its own blazon.
Get your full Dale family history
This is only a glimpse of the Dale story. The full Dale history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Dale coat of arms. Get the full Dale report.
Dale name FAQ
What does the Dale name mean?
Valley.
Where does the Dale surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Is there a Dale coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Dale coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).