Source: National Archives & Historic Records of Prince-Bishopric of Liège (Belgium)
Geology • Historical Archive • 🇧🇪 Belgium • 1 views

Jean-Baptiste d'Omalius d'Halloy 🇧🇪

Jean-Baptiste Julien d'Omalius d'Halloy (Known as "d'Omalius d'Halloy")
Geologist, Statesman, Named the Cretaceous Period, President of Geological Society of France
Born Feb 16, 1783 🇧🇪 Liège, Belgium
Passed Away Jan 15, 1875 Brussels, Belgium
Lifespan 91 years old
1 views
Notice / Correction
"The strata of the earth are the stone leaves of an ancient book, recording the endless rebirth of living forms."

Archival Overview

Pioneering Walloon geologist who named the Cretaceous geological period (1822), produced the first modern geological map of the Paris Basin, and served as President of the Belgian Senate.

Biographical Record

Studying science in Paris under Georges Cuvier and René Just Haüy, d'Omalius d'Halloy surveyed the geology of France and Belgium on foot, walking over 25,000 kilometers. In 1822, in his Essai sur la carte géologique, he proposed the term 'Terrain Crétacé' (Cretaceous period) from the Latin 'creta' (chalk).

A precursor to Charles Darwin, he proposed early evolutionary concepts of species transmutation as early as 1831. Active in civic life, he served as Governor of Namur and President of the Belgian Senate from 1851 to 1870, as well as President of the Royal Academy of Belgium.

Memorial Guestbook & Tributes

0 messages recorded

Leave a Respectful Tribute

No tributes recorded yet. Be the first to leave a message in honor of Jean-Baptiste d'Omalius d'Halloy.

Final Resting Place

Perpetual Memorial
Brumagne Castle Cemetery
Lives-sur-Meuse (Namur), Belgium
GPS: 50.4667, 4.9667
View on Memory Atlas
Archival Standards PastLegacies adheres to strict neutral biographical guidelines and legal standards of remembrance. Next-of-kin may request modifications or removal at any time via our expedited process.