Yales

Yales is primarily used as the plural form of the surname Yale. In practice, the term most often appears in reference to people bearing the Yale surname or, less commonly, to historic families named Yale. The plural is rarely used for places, institutions, or other proper nouns, which are normally written as Yale or Yale University.

The surname Yale is of English origin and is believed to be toponymic, derived from a place name in England. Over the centuries bearers of the name spread to North America and other regions, where some became prominent in business, landholding, and public life.

A notable bearer of the surname is Elihu Yale (1649–1721), a Welsh-born merchant who held an East India Company post in Madras. His endowment to the Collegiate School of Connecticut contributed to the founding of Yale College, which was renamed Yale University in the 18th century. The Yale family has historically included other merchants, lawyers, and landowners in the American colonies.

In modern usage, "the Yales" would typically refer to people with the Yale surname. In genealogical or historical writing, it may denote a continuous family line. The term is also encountered in discussions about the origins of Yale University and its namesake.

See also: Yale.