hals

Hals is a surname of Dutch origin and a toponym used in several Northern European places. The name may derive from hals meaning "neck" in Dutch, possibly indicating a geographical feature or body part associated with a location or occupation.

Notable people with the surname Hals include Frans Hals (c. 1582–1666), a Dutch Golden Age painter celebrated for his lively portraiture and group portraits, such as The Laughing Cavalier and the militia company pieces. His brother Dirck Hals (c. 1610–1656) was also a painter active in the same period. The Hals surname has been borne by other artists and public figures, though Frans Hals remains the most renowned.

Geographical usage: Hals appears as a placename or part of placenames in several Northern European regions and is used as a surname by people of Dutch or Scandinavian descent. The term reflects its toponymic or ethnonymic origins and persists in various regional names and historical references.