Wallace (surname)

Wallace is a Scottish surname stemmed from the Anglo-Norman French Waleis "Welshman". It is a northern variant form of Gualeis "Welshman" (Wace, Brut, éd. I. Arnold, 13927); adjectiv gualeis "Welsh" (Id., ibid., 14745); same as walois "the oil language" (J. Bretel, Tournoi de Chauvency, éd. M. Delbouille, 63).[1]

It originates from Old Low Franconian *Walhisk meaning "foreigner", "Celt", "Roman" which is a cognate of Old English wylisċ (pronounced "wullish") meaning "foreigner" or "Welshman"[2] (see also Wallach and Walhaz). The original surname may have denoted someone from the former Kingdom of Strathclyde who spoke Cumbric, a close relative of the Welsh language, or possibly an incomer from Wales, or the Welsh Marches. The Kingdom of Strathclyde was originally a part of the Hen Ogledd, its people speaking a Brittonic language distinct from Scottish Gaelic and the Scots language derived from Lothian.[citation needed]

Variations of the name include Walla, Wallais, Wallice, Wallang, Wallass, Wallayis, Wallays, Walleis, Wallensis, Walles, Valance, Valensis, Valeyns, Vallace, Vallance, and Valles.[3]

Notable people

Academia

  • Alexander Doniphan Wallace (1905–1985) American mathematician
  • Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913), British naturalist and biologist
  • Andrew H. Wallace (1926–2008), Scottish-American mathematician
  • Bruce Wallace (geneticist)
  • Carden Wallace, Australian marine biologist
  • Carolynn Reid-Wallace (born 1942), American academic administrator
  • Catherine C. "Cath" Wallace (born 1952), New Zealand environmentalist and academic
  • Chris Wallace (computer scientist) (1933–2004), Australian computer scientist and physicist, developer of Minimum Message Length
  • David R. Wallace (1942–2012), American software engineer and inventor
  • David Rains Wallace (born 1945), author on conservation and natural history
  • David Wallace (physicist) (born 1945), British physicist and Master of Churchill College, Cambridge
  • David Wallace (medievalist), British scholar of medieval literature
  • Dorothy Wallace, American mathematician
  • Douglas C. Wallace (born 1946), American geneticist and evolutionary biologist
  • Frank R. Wallace (1932–2006), author and philosopher
  • Ian Wallace (ornithologist) (1933–2021), British ornithologist and natural history author
  • John Higgins Wallace Jr. (1906–1989), American chemist
  • John L. Wallace (born 1956), Canadian medical scientist
  • J. M. Wallace-Hadrill (1916–1985), British academic and historian
  • John Michael Wallace (born 1940), American atmospheric scientist
  • Mike Wallace (historian) (born 1942), American historian
  • Perry Wallace (1948–2017), American law professor and first African American athlete to play a complete college career in the Southeastern Conference
  • Raymond L. Wallace (1918–2002), American Bigfoot researcher
  • Richard Wallace (scientist), artificial intelligence researcher
  • Robert Charles Wallace (1881–1955), Scottish-born Canadian geologist, educator, and administrator
  • William Wallace (philosopher) (1844–1897), Scottish philosopher
  • William Wallace (mathematician) (1768–1843), Scottish mathematician
  • William Wallace, Baron Wallace of Saltaire (born 1941), British academic, writer and politician
  • William A. Wallace (organizational theorist) (born 1935), Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • William E. Wallace (1917–2004), physical chemist

Armed forces

  • Christopher Wallace (British Army officer) (1943–2016), retired British Army general and trustee of the Imperial War Museum
  • Colin Wallace (born 1943), British soldier and psychological warfare operative
  • George W. Wallace (1872–1946), American soldier
  • Hazel Wallace (1897–1976), Canadian World War I flying ace
  • Herman C. Wallace (1924–1945), American soldier
  • James Wallace (Royal Navy officer) (1731–1803), Royal Navy officer
  • Lew Wallace (1827–1905), American Civil War general and author
  • Martin Wallace (soldier) (born 1969), Australian SASR soldier
  • Martin R. M. Wallace (1829–1902), American Union brevet brigadier general
  • Robert Wallace (British Army officer) (1860–1929), Irish lawyer, soldier and politician
  • Samuel Thomas Dickson Wallace (1892–1968), Scottish soldier
  • W. H. L. Wallace (1821–1862), Union general in the American Civil War
  • William Wallace (died 1305), Scottish landowner, one of the main leaders during the wars of Scottish Independence
  • William Henry Wallace (1827–1901), Confederate general and South Carolina state legislator
  • William Miller Wallace (1844–1924), U.S. Army general

Law

  • John Wallace (New Zealand judge) (1934–2012), chairman of the Royal Commission on the Electoral System, 1986
  • John Clifford Wallace (born 1928), United States federal judge
  • John E. Wallace Jr. (born 1942), former New Jersey Supreme Court justice
  • John William Wallace (1815–1884), American lawyer
  • Michael Wallace (lawyer) (born 1951), U.S. lawyer
  • William James Wallace (1837–1917), lawyer and federal judge in the United States
  • William Robert Wallace (1886–1960), American judge
  • William T. Wallace (1828–1909), Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California and an Attorney General of California

Media (actors, artists, writers, journalists)

  • Amy Wallace (1955-2013), American writer
  • Andree Wallace, American actress
  • André Wallace (born 1947), English sculptor
  • Andy Wallace (producer) (born 1947), American music studio engineer
  • Anne Wallace (born 1970), Australian painter
  • Barbara Brooks Wallace (1922-2018), American children's writer
  • Benjamin Wallace (writer), American author and magazine writer
  • Beryl Wallace (1912-1948), American singer, dancer, and actress
  • Bill Wallace (author) (1947–2012), American author
  • Bronwen Wallace (1945–1989), Canadian poet and short story writer
  • Chris Wallace (born 1947), American newscaster at ABC, NBC, and Fox News
  • Chris Wallace-Crabbe (born 1934), Australian poet
  • Christine Wallace (born 1960), Australian journalist and author
  • Claire Wallace (broadcaster) (1900 or 1906–1968), Canadian journalist and broadcaster
  • Daniel Wallace (author) (born 1959), American author
  • Danny Wallace (humourist) (born 1976), British comedian, author and presenter
  • David Wallace (American actor) (born 1958), American actor
  • David Foster Wallace (1962–2008), American novelist
  • Dee Wallace (born 1948), American actress
  • DeWitt Wallace (1889–1981), American co-founder of Reader's Digest magazine
  • Donald Mackenzie Wallace (1841–1919), British public servant, journalist and author
  • Dougie Wallace, Scots photographer
  • Edgar Wallace (1875–1932), British crime writer
  • George Wallace (American comedian) (born 1952), American comedian
  • Ginger Wallace (1924–2010), American artist
  • Ian Wallace (author) (1912–1998), American science fiction author
  • Ian Wallace (artist) (born 1943), pioneer of Vancouver's conceptual art movement
  • Ian Wallace (illustrator), Canadia illustrator of children's books
  • Ian Wallace (photographer) (born 1972), Tasmanian landscape photographer
  • Irving Wallace (1916–1990), American author and screenwriter
  • Jean Wallace (1923–1990), American actress
  • Jessie Wallace (born 1971), English actress
  • John Graham Wallace (born 1966), English author of children's books
  • Kathleen Kemarre Wallace (born 1948), Australian Aboriginal artist
  • Kathryn Ann Wallace (born 1975), American television and film journalist
  • Kevin Wallace (born 1957), Irish theatrical producer
  • Lila Bell Wallace (1889–1984), American co-founder of Reader's Digest magazine
  • Louise Wallace (born 1959), New Zealand television presenter, actress and director
  • Louise Wallace (writer) (born 1983), New Zealand poet
  • Marcia Wallace (1942–2013), American actress
  • Marjorie Wallace (born 1954), American model, actress and presenter
  • Mike Wallace (1918–2012), American television correspondent
  • Morgan Wallace (1881-1953), American actor
  • Naomi Wallace (born 1960), American playwright, screenwriter and poet
  • Nick Wallace (born 1972), British author
  • Nicolle Wallace (born 1972), American television host, author, and former political figure
  • Pierce Wallace (born 1995), American sports fan and television personality
  • Randall Wallace (born 1949), American writer and film director
  • Richard Wallace (director) (1894–1951), American film director
  • Richard Wallace (journalist) (born 1961), British newspaper editor
  • Rowena Wallace (born 1947), English-born Australian actress
  • Tommy Lee Wallace (born 1949), American film producer, director and screenwriter
  • William O. Wallace (1906-1968), American Hollywood set decorator
  • William Ross Wallace (1819–1881), American poet

Musicians

  • Aria Wallace (born 1996), American actress and singer
  • Beryl Wallace (1912–1948), American singer, dancer and actress
  • Bill Wallace (musician) (born 1949), Canadian rock-and-roll musician
  • Chris Wallace (musician) (born 1985), lead vocalist for The White Tie Affair
  • Christopher George Latore Wallace (1972–1997), American rap artist The Notorious B.I.G.
  • Emmett "Babe" Wallace (1909–2006), American composer, singer, actor
  • Frank Wallace (piper) (fl. late 1800s), Irish musician
  • Ian Wallace (drummer) (1946–2007), drummer with King Crimson, Bob Dylan, and many others
  • Ian Wallace (singer) (1919–2009), singer and contestant on My Music
  • Jerry Wallace (1928–2008), American country and pop singer
  • John Wallace (musician) (fl. 1971– present), American bassist and singer
  • John Bruce Wallace, American musician and artist
  • Michael Wallace (piper) (fl. late 1800s), Irish musician
  • Simon Wallace (born 1957), British composer and pianist
  • Sippie Wallace (1898–1986), American singer-songwriter
  • Stewart Wallace (born 1960), American composer
  • Terry Wallace Jr. (born 1994), American rapper Tee Grizzley
  • Wesley Wallace dates unknown), American blues and boogie-woogie pianist
  • William Wallace (Scottish composer) (1860–1940), Scottish composer
  • William Vincent Wallace (1812–1865), Irish composer

Politics and business

  • Ben Wallace (politician) (born 1970), British Conservative politician
  • Bob Wallace (computer scientist) (1949–2002), American software developer & programmer
  • Carleton Lyman Wallace (1866-1919), American lawyer and Minnesota state legislator
  • Dan Wallace (politician) (born 1942), Irish Fianna Fáil politician
  • David Wallace (Indiana politician) (1799–1859), 6th Governor of Indiana
  • David G. Wallace, American businessman and politician, mayor of Sugar Land, Texas
  • David Wardrope Wallace (1850–1924), Canadian MP for Russell, 1903–1904
  • Elizabeth Virginia Wallace (1885–1982), birth name of Bess Truman, wife of U.S. President Harry S. Truman
  • Euan Wallace (1892–1941), British Conservative politician
  • G. Frank Wallace (1887–1964), New York state senator
  • Georg Wallace (1804-1890), Norwegian politician.
  • George Wallace (1919–1998), 45th Governor of Alabama
  • George Wallace Jr. (born 1951), American politician
  • Henry A. Wallace (1888–1965), 33rd Vice President of the United States
  • Henry Cantwell Wallace (1866–1924), American farmer, journalist and political activist
  • I. T. A. Wallace-Johnson (1894–1965), Sierra Leonean journalist, activist and politician
  • Jim Wallace, Baron Wallace of Tankerness (born 1954), British politician and former Deputy First Minister of Scotland
  • John Wallace (Australian politician) (1828–1901), Australian politician
  • John Wallace (Canadian politician) (1812–1896), New Brunswick farmer and member of the Canadian House of Commons
  • John Wallace (English politician) (1840-1910), English politician
  • John Wallace (Florida politician) (1842–1908), Florida Republican politician
  • John Wallace (Scottish politician) (1868–1949), Member of Parliament for Dumfermline Burghs
  • John Alexander Wallace (1881–1961), Canadian politician
  • John D. Wallace (born 1949), Canadian politician
  • John Winfield Wallace (1818–1889), US Congressman from Pennsylvania
  • Jonathan H. Wallace (1824–1892), United States Congressman
  • Lurleen Wallace (1926–1968), 46th Governor of Alabama
  • Marjorie Wallace (SANE) (born 1945), British writer, broadcaster, investigative journalist, charity executive
  • Mark Wallace (born 1967), American businessman, former diplomat, and lawyer
  • Martin Kelso Wallace (1898–1978), Irish Lord Mayor of Belfast
  • Mary Wallace (born 1959), Irish Fianna Fáil politician
  • Maynard Wallace (1943-2021), American politician
  • Michael Wallace (politician) (died 1831), Scottish-born merchant, judge and political figure in Nova Scotia
  • Mick Wallace (born 1955), Irish politician, football manager and property developer
  • Mike Wallace (politician) (born 1963), Canadian politician
  • Peggy Wallace (1943-2020), American politician
  • Robert Wallace (Canadian politician) (1820–?), Canadian Member of Parliament
  • Robert Wallace (Edinburgh MP) (1831–1899), British Member of Parliament for Edinburgh East, 1886–1899
  • Robert Wallace (MP for Greenock) (1773–1855), Scottish politician, MP for Greenock, 1832–1845
  • Robert Wallace (MP for Perth) (1850–1939), Irish-born politician, MP for Perth, 1895–1907
  • Robert B. Wallace (c. 1869–1928), American politician
  • Robert M. Wallace (1856–1942), United States Representative from Arkansas
  • William Wallace (Canadian politician) (1820–1887), Scottish-born merchant and politician in Ontario
  • William A. Wallace (1827–1896), U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania
  • William C. Wallace (1856–1901), U.S. Representative from New York
  • William H. Wallace (1811–1879), first territorial governor and Congressional delegate from Idaho Territory
  • William J. Wallace (Indianapolis mayor), 7th Mayor of Indianapolis, Indiana

Religion

  • Brian Wallace (born 1962), American Anglican suffragan bishop
  • Duncan Wallace (1938-2015), Canadian Anglican Bishop of Qu'Appelle
  • Foy E. Wallace (1896–1979), American Churches of Christ minister
  • John Wallace (bishop) (1654–1733), Scottish Roman Catholic prelate
  • Martin Wallace (bishop) (born 1948), English Anglican Bishop of Selby
  • Robert Wallace (minister) (1697–1771), minister of the Church of Scotland and writer on population
  • Robert Wallace (Unitarian) (1791–1850), English Unitarian minister
  • William Wallace (Jesuit) (1863–1922), Irish Jesuit and Indologist

Sport

  • A. J. Wallace (American football) (born 1988), American football player
  • Alexander Wallace (footballer) (1874 – 1899), English footballer
  • Andy Wallace (racing driver) (born 1961), British race car driver
  • Ben Wallace (basketball) (born 1974), American basketball player
  • Bill Wallace (American football) (1912–1993), American football player
  • Bill Wallace (martial artist) (born 1945), American karateka and kickboxer
  • Billy Wallace (1878–1972), New Zealand rugby union player
  • B. J. Wallace (born 1971), former American Minor League Baseball pitcher
  • Bo Wallace (born 1992), American football player
  • Bob Wallace (American football) (born 1945), former American football player
  • Bob Wallace (footballer born 1948), English footballer
  • Bob Wallace (footballer born 1893) (1893–1970), Scottish footballer for Nottingham Forest
  • Bob Wallace (test driver) (1938–2013), New Zealand racing driver, auto engineer, developer of Lamborghini
  • Bobby Wallace (American football) (born 1954), American college football coach
  • Bobby Wallace (baseball) (1873–1960), American baseball player
  • Caedan Wallace (born 2000), American football player
  • Chris Wallace (American football) (born 1975), American football quarterback
  • Chris Wallace (basketball), American basketball executive, scout, and manager
  • Chrissy Wallace (born 1988), American race car driver
  • Darrell Wallace Jr. (born 1993), American stock car driver
  • Dave Wallace (baseball) (born 1947), American baseball coach and player
  • David Wallace (catcher) (born 1979), American professional baseball player
  • David Wallace (footballer), New Zealand international soccer player
  • David Wallace (rugby union) (born 1976), Irish rugby union player
  • Derek Wallace (born 1971), American baseball player
  • Doc Wallace (1893–1964), American baseball player
  • Don Wallace (born 1940), American baseball player
  • Frank Wallace (soccer) (1922–1979), American soccer player, nicknamed "Pee Wee"
  • Gerald Wallace (born 1982), American basketball player
  • Harold Wallace (born 1975), Costa Rican soccer player
  • Heather Wallace (born 1961), Canadian squash player
  • Huck Wallace (1882–1951), American baseball player
  • Ian Wallace (footballer) (born 1956), Scottish international footballer
  • Isabelle Wallace (born 1996), Australian tennis player
  • Jack Wallace (American football) (c. 1925–1995), American football player and coach
  • Jack Wallace (catcher) (1890–1960), American baseball player
  • Jackie Wallace (born 1951), American football player
  • Jarrod Wallace (born 1991), Australian Rugby League player
  • Jilly Wallace (born 1964), British freestyle skier and mother of Lloyd
  • Jock Wallace Jr. (1935–1996), Scottish football player and manager
  • John Wallace (American football coach), college football coach, head football coach at Rutgers University
  • John Wallace (basketball) (born 1974), American basketball player
  • John Wallace (cricketer) (1924–2008), South African-born first-class cricketer, who played for Rhodesia
  • John Wallace (rower) (born 1962), Canadian rower
  • John Wallace (sailor) (1903–1990), American sailor
  • Jonathan Wallace (born 1986), American basketball player
  • Joe Wallace (footballer) (1933–1993), Scottish footballer
  • Keith Wallace (boxer) (1961–2000), English professional and Olympic boxer
  • Ken Wallace (canoeist) (born 1983), Australian sprint canoer
  • Ken Wallace (cricketer) (born 1936), English cricketer
  • Kenny Wallace (born 1963), American stock car driver, former TV commentator
  • K'Von Wallace (born 1997), American football player
  • Lee Wallace (born 1987), Scottish football player
  • Levi Wallace (born 1995), American football player
  • Lloyd Wallace (born 1995), British freestyle skier and son of Jilly
  • Mark Wallace (cricketer) (born 1981), Welsh cricketer
  • Matt Wallace (racing driver) (born 1995), American race car driver
  • Merv Wallace (1916–2008), New Zealand cricketer
  • Mike Wallace (American football) (born 1986), American football wide receiver
  • Mike Wallace (baseball) (born 1951), American baseball player
  • Mike Wallace (racing driver) (born 1959), American race car driver
  • Nancy Wallace (Pearson), American curler
  • Peter Wallace (rugby league) (born 1985), Australian Rugby League player
  • Philo Wallace (born 1970), Barbadian cricketer
  • Raphael Wallace (born 1957), Nevisian cricketer
  • Rasheed Wallace (born 1974), American basketball player
  • Robin Wallace, British freestyle skier
  • Rod Wallace (born 1969), English football player
  • Ross Wallace (born 1985), Scottish football player
  • Rusty Wallace (born 1956), American NASCAR driver
  • Seneca Wallace (born 1980), American football player
  • Skylar Wallace (born 2000), American softball player
  • Steve Wallace (American football) (born 1964), American football player
  • Steve Wallace (NASCAR) (born 1987), American race car driver
  • Terry Wallace (born 1958), Australian football player and coach
  • Trevin Wallace (born 2003), American college football player
  • Tylan Wallace (born 1999), American football player
  • William Wallace (rower) (1904–1967), Canadian Olympic rower
  • William Middleton Wallace (died 1915), Scotland rugby player
  • Willie Wallace (born 1940), Scottish footballer

Fiction

  • Barret Wallace, fictional character in Final Fantasy VII
  • Beth Wallace, fictional character in the soap opera Passions
  • Chris Wallace (EastEnders), an EastEnders character
  • David Wallace (The Office), CEO of Dunder Mifflin on the US TV series The Office
  • Eli Wallace, fictional character on the TV science fiction drama series Stargate Universe
  • Marsellus Wallace, fictional gangster portrayed by Ving Rhames in the 1994 film Pulp Fiction
  • Nathan Wallace, fictional character in Repo! The Genetic Opera
  • Nicole Wallace (Law & Order: Criminal Intent), fictional character on the TV drama series Law & Order: Criminal Intent
  • Shilo Wallace, fictional character in Repo! The Genetic Opera
  • Wallace Wallace, fictional character in No More Dead Dogs who was always on detention.

Other

  • Benjamin Wallace (circus owner) (1847–1921), American circus owner
  • David A. Wallace (1917–2004), American urban planner, architect, and educator
  • Felicity Wallace, New Zealand architect
  • Frank Wallace (gangster) (before 1910–1931), Irish-American gangster from South Boston
  • John Findley Wallace (1852–1921), American engineer, worked on the Panama Canal
  • John-Paul Wallace (born 1976), English chess player
  • Keith Wallace (wine writer), wine columnist, journalist and wine school founder
  • Martin Wallace (game designer), English game designer
  • Michele Wallace (born 1952), African American feminist and author
  • Minik Wallace (c. 1890–1918), Greenland-born Inuk brought to America for study
  • Nancy Wallace (environmentalist) (1930-2024), American environmentalist
  • Nancy G. Wallace, Wyoming politician
  • Peter Wallace (buccaneer) (fl. 1630s), Anglo-Scottish buccaneer in the Bay of Honduras
  • Sir Richard Wallace, 1st Baronet (1818–1890), English art collector
  • Richetta Randolph Wallace (1884-1971), American administrator and campaigner
  • Sanford Wallace (born 1968), American spammer and DJ, self-proclaimed "Spam King"
  • Staker Wallace (1733–1798), United Irishman who rebelled against the British
  • William Wallace (mason) (died 1631), Scottish master mason and architect
  • William A. A. Wallace (1817–1899), American Texas Ranger captain with the nickname "Bigfoot"
  • William Herbert Wallace (1878–1933), English convicted 'murderer', later found to be innocent on appeal
  • William Kelly Wallace (1883–1969), Irish railway engineer
  • William Roy Wallace (architect) (1889–1983), American architect
  • William Wallace Lincoln (1850–1862), son of Abraham Lincoln

See also

  • Clan Wallace
  • Wallace (given name)
  • Wallace (disambiguation)
  • Wallis (surname)
Surname list
This page lists people with the surname Wallace.
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.

References

  1. ^ CNRTL : Etymology of gaulois (French)
  2. ^ "welsh | Origin and meaning of the name welsh by Online Etymology Dictionary". www.etymonline.com. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  3. ^ "Wallace". Memphis Scottish Society. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
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