Yale (surname) facts for kids

The surname Yale comes from the Welsh word "iâl". This word means "fertile ground." It was the name of a special area in Wales called the lordship of Yale. This area belonged to the royal Mathrafal family. Later, a branch of this family, called the House of Yale, gave the name to their home, Plas-yn-Iâl. They were connected to the princes of Powys Fadog and the Fitzgeralds.

The family crest of Baron Ellis ap Griffith, who helped start the House of Yale.

The family crest of Chancellor David Yale, given to him in the 1200s.

Famous People with the Yale Name

Many important people have carried the Yale surname. They have made contributions in different fields, from education to invention and public service.

Early Figures and Scholars

• Thomas Yale (1525/6–1577) was a diplomat and ambassador. He worked for Queen Elizabeth Tudor. He was also a chancellor for the head of the Church of England. Thomas was a cousin of the Tudors.
• David Yale (c. 1540-1626) was Thomas Yale's nephew. He served as Chancellor of Chester. He was also a Vicar General for Bishop George Lloydd.
• Thomas Yale Jr. (1616–1683) was a captain and merchant. He helped start the New Haven Colony in America. He also fought in King Philip's War. His family helped found Harvard University.
• Elihu Yale (1649–1721) was a very successful businessman. He worked for the British East India Company. He became very rich and helped start Yale University. His family was connected to other important people like Governor Theophilus Eaton.

Inventors and Business Leaders

• William Yale (1784-1833) was a merchant. He started a big manufacturing business in Meriden, Connecticut. His family was known for making many things.
• Linus Yale, Sr. (1797–1858) was an American inventor. He made special locks for banks. He even got a contract from the U.S. government for his locks.
• Moses Yale Beach (1800–1868) was a newspaper owner and banker. He owned the New York Sun, a very popular newspaper. He was also a personal spy for U.S. President James Polk.
• Linus Yale, Jr. (1821–1868) was a famous inventor. He started the Yale Lock Company, which made many locks. His company became a top lock maker in the U.S.
• Charles Yale Knight (1868–1940) was an inventor. He created a special engine technology called the sleeve valve. This technology was used in cars, tanks, and airplanes.
• Stanley Yale Beach (1877–1955) was an aviation pioneer. He owned Scientific American magazine. He also helped finance early airplane builders.

Public Servants and Activists

• Elisha Yale (1780-1853) was a reverend. He was the first minister in Gloversville, New York. He also founded Kingsborough Academy.
• Barnabas Yale (1784-1854) was a lawyer who fought to end slavery. He helped start the Central New-York Anti-Slavery Society.
• Cyrus Yale (1786-1854) was an American minister and activist. He worked for peace and helped start the U.S. Temperance Union.
• Levi Yale (1792-1872) was an abolitionist and postmaster. He helped start the Liberty Party in Connecticut. This party worked to end slavery. He also helped people escape through the Underground railroad.
• James Murray Yale (1798–1871) was a fur trader in Canada. He worked for the Hudson's Bay Company. A town in Canada, Yaletown, is named after him.
• Edwin R. Yale (1804-1883) was a Brigadier General. He was also a merchant and manufacturer in New York. He helped start the abolitionist Sumter Club.
• Charles Dwight Yale (1810-1890) was a Democratic Senator from Wallingford. His family owned large hotels in New York.
• William Parry Yale (1825–1909) was a lieutenant colonel and High Sheriff of Denbighshire. He inherited important family estates in Wales.
• William H. Yale (1831–1917) was a Senator and the 6th lieutenant governor of Minnesota. He was also the President of the Minnesota Senate.
• John Wesley Yale (1832-1900) was a Colonel in the 51st New York Infantry. His grandson, Colonel Wesley W. Yale, was a tank commander.
• William Yale (1887–1975) was a spy and diplomat. He worked as a special agent in the Middle East. He was also a companion of Lawrence of Arabia.
• Wesley W. Yale (1900-2001) was a Colonel in General Patton's Third Army during WWII. He had important responsibilities during the Battle of the Bulge.
• Joseph Yale Resnick (1924-1969) was a Congressman from New York. He was also a successful entrepreneur.
• David Yale (1928–2021) was a fellow at the University of Cambridge. He was also an Honorary Queen's Counsel for England and Wales.
• William Yale Giles (born 1934) is a co-owner of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team. His father was the president of the National League.
• Stephen Yale-Loehr (born 1954) is an American attorney and law professor at Cornell University. He advises on immigration law.
• Janet Yale is a Canadian lawyer and executive. She has been CEO of the Arthritis Society and Scouts Canada.

Artists and Educators

• Leroy Milton Yale Jr. (1841-1906) was a doctor and surgeon. He also helped start the New York Etching Club.
• Madeline Yale Wynne (1847–1918) was an American artist and philanthropist. She was the daughter of inventor Linus Yale.
• Charles G. Yale (1847-1926) was a yachtsman and mining investor. He helped found the San Francisco Miners' Association.
• Caroline Ardelia Yale (1848–1933) was an American educator and inventor. She changed how deaf people were taught. A crater on Venus is named after her. She worked with Alexander Graham Bell.
• Charles H. Yale (1856–1920) was an American entrepreneur and theater producer in Boston.
• Brian Yale (born 1968) is a musician. He is a member of the band Matchbox Twenty and has been nominated for Grammy awards.

See also

• Ial