History:

Mahaale: This surnames spread was likely a mix of people choosing to move and being forced to move. People might have moved because of better job opportunities, better land, or better schools. Trade routes also played a part. Over many years, these individual choices spread this surname across different places.

Forced movements, like wars or natural disasters, also scattered families with this surname. The exact details depend on the history and where this surname was originally found. The current distribution of this surname shows a complex history of movement and settling down in new places.

Description:

My search didnt turn up any definitive links to specific groups.

However, we can think about possible related names. One idea is a shorter version, "Hale". Its simpler and might have become more common over time. Another is a slightly different spelling, "Mahale," maybe from a mistake when it was written down or because of regional accents. A third possibility is a name with something added to the beginning or end, depending on where this surname comes from and how it changed. But without knowing more about its history, thats just a guess.