 He was the elder of two sons of Walter Hele of Brixton by his wife Jone (or Jane) Maynard, a daughter of Thomas Maynard of Brixton.His uncle was the very wealthy lawyer John Hele (d.1608), of Wembury, Devon, Recorder of Exeter in 1592, and Member of Parliament for Exeter 1593–1601, who married a daughter of Ellis ("alias" Elizeus) Warwick of Holbeton.The Hele family originated at the manor of Hele in the parish of Cornwood.