Wallace (surname)

Wallace is a Scottish surname[citation needed] 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 Welsh,Walla, Wallais, Wallice, Wallang, Wallass, Wallayis, Wallays, Walleis, Wallensis, Walles, Valance, Valensis, Valeyns, Vallace, Vallance, and Valles.[3]

## Notable people

[edit]

### Academia

[edit]

* 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

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* 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
* Jacob Wallace (1810—1847), American pro-Mexican guerrilla leader
* 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

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* 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)

[edit]

* 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
* Gregg Wallace (b. 1964) English broadcaster
* Ian Wallace (author) (1912–1998), American science fiction author
* Ian Wallace (artist) (born 1943), pioneer of Vancouver's conceptual art movement
* Ian Wallace (illustrator), Canadian 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

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* 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

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* 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

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* 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

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

* 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
* Hamish Wallace (born 1956), paediatric oncologist
* John Findley Wallace (1852–1921), American engineer, worked on the Panama Canal
* John-Paul Wallace (born 1976), English chess player
* Joseph Wallace (1989–1993), American murder victim
* 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

[edit]

* Clan Wallace
* Wallace (given name)
* Wallace (disambiguation)
* Wallis (surname)
* Battle of Val-ès-Dunes

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

[edit]

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 Society. Retrieved 15 December 2022.[dead link]

Authority control databases

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*[fl.]: floruit ('flourished' – known to have been active at a particular time or during a particular period)
*[c.]: circa