First I thought it was native American due to research. But my research has also found that it originated in Turkey and is used in some Eastern European countries and Hawaii. When researching my family tree I found this was the name of my 3x great grandmother. I love it and wish I had known about it before as I might have chosen it for my daughter. Interestingly, she could really sing like the famous Mahalia Jackson and loved all kinds of music and played organ while singing in a small Baptist church.
Gone at 52 in , a really great mother, and friend, perhaps the name is more than just "woman"! Like Bahasa Indonesia, the word 'mahal' in Tagalog also means "expensive". One is that "Mahala" pronounced mah-hah-lah was a slang word for an Indian woman in 's California. It came from a Mission Indian mispronunciation of the Spanish word "mujer" which means woman. As far as we know no Indian women have this name, but it is used in some place names in California, and "Mahala mat" is another name for the plant also known as "squaw carpet.
It is less derogatory than the word "squaw," but is not really a native word. The second source of this name is the woman's name Mahala pronounced mah-hey-lah or Mahaley, which was fairly common among the southeastern Indian tribes Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, etc.
Unfortunately the origin of this name isn't clear; the word "Mahala" does not have any meaning in any Indian language of the southeast. It may have been one of many Indian variants on the name Mary, or possibly a variant of Michaela. Or it could have been a corrupted or shortened form of a longer Indian woman's name or names. In the Tutelo and Saponi languages two closely related southeastern Indian languages that are extinct today , the word for "woman" was "mahei," so it's possible that a name or set of names including the word "mahei" got corrupted into Mahala at some point in time.
Or it's also possible that the name might have had African origins many of the southeastern Indian tribes, especially the Saponi, were known for taking in African-Americans. Nice enough name, but I like the variant 'Mahalia' better. I like it. Her childhood nickname was "Halie" pronounced Hayley. Also, "Mahal" in Bahasa Indonesian means "expensive". I love the name Mahala. My mother almost named my sister Mahala, but she decided it sounds "too Hawaiian".
I think it's pretty and special and rare; its lack of use is surprising considering the popularity of "Michaela" or "Makayla", which is so similar-sounding. They are both 8. It isn't only an old time name. Can't make up my mind about one of my families - mother - Mahala had children that included a Mahala and a Manasseh as well as an Ephraim - but also an Abigail and an Ignatio - along with a John and a Mary!!
Cheers Sue. Interesting discussion - surprised it's lasted so long. She may also have sung 'Remember my forgotten man' - moving final scene in 'Golddiggers of ' - Could check but reference book is downstairs Have I mentioned my ggmother Elvina, named after a battle in the Peninsular War - except that was about 50 years before her birth? Names persist, it seems. Delphine who hasn't posted for a long time. Delphine hi i know this post was started some time ago but hopefully its still live.
I have a Malhala too! My great great great grandmother on my maternal side. The funny thing is, his origins were in St Dominik , Cornwall as was that entire line of my family. I havnt posted here for a long time but getting an email has prompted me to come back. My Mahala was a Florence Mahala but she never carried the name on. One of my biggest "brick walls" involved a Mahala. I think I have now rediscovered her but in the birth certificate of her third daughter Lilian she gives her name as Lucy Amelia.
After her second bigamous marriage to Robert Bullen the family changed its name to Bolam. Just for curiosity's sake, in the native Sesotho Language of South African Mahala means free of charge. Would like to know Mahalah's father's christian name BMD etc Gtanner -no bells ringing I am afraid. Mahala b. Interesting just came across this thread, we also have a couple of Mahalas in our tree, interestingly one morphs between Amelia and Mahala, so I originally wondered if it was just a name that was being recorded incorrectly.
In The United States the number of people who held the Mahala surname increased percent between and In The United States Mahala are The amount Mahala earn in different countries varies markedly. In South Africa they earn By signing up to the mailing list you will only receive emails specifically about name reference on Forebears and your information will not be distributed to 3rd parties.
Names Forenames. Login Remember me. Distribution Meaning Demographics Similar Transliteration. Mahala Surname 26, th.
Approximately 20, people bear this surname Most prevalent in:. Highest density in:. Mahala Surname Definition: Mahala is a surname of the Tumbuka tribe, meaning: a state of brightness. Mahala Surname Distribution Map. By incidence By incidence By frequency By rank.
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