Show ContentsGal History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The root of the ancient Dalriadan-Scottish name Gal is the Gaelic surname of Scottish origin, which means son of the battle chief.

Saint Gall (550?-645?), originally named Cellach or Caillech, was abbot and the apostle of the Suevi and the Alemanni, and appears to have been the son of Cethernach, an Irishman of noble lineage, of the sept of Hy-Cennsealach, his mother being, it is asserted, a queen of Hungary. [1]

The MacGall variant was later derived from the Gaelic Mac goill, or Mac an ghoill, 'stranger's son,' 'Lowlander.' [2]

The MacCall variant was from the Gaelic MacCathail, 'son of Cathal,' "the M'Calls of Guffokland were an old Nithsdale family. Robert M'Kawele, was Lord of Karsnelohe, c. 1370-1380." [2]

Early Origins of the Gal family

The surname Gal was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

The Maccalls of Dumfriesshire were settled there as early as 1500, "and are said to be descended from the Macaulays. John M'Call is recorded in Cumbray, 1583 (Hunter, p. 31). Matthew McCall in Maybole, charged with reset of rebels in 1607, appears a few days later as McEall (RPC., XIV p. 507). Quintigern Makcall, bailie of Edinburgh, 1610." [2]

Early History of the Gal family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gal research. Another 215 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1602, 1629, 1684, 1686, 1688 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Gal History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gal Spelling Variations

The translation of Gaelic names in the Middle Ages was not a task undertaken with great care. Records from that era show an enormous number of spelling variations, even in names referring to the same person. Over the years Gal has appeared as MacAll, MacColl, MacCole, MacCall, MacAul, Mccall and others.

Early Notables of the Gal family

More information is included under the topic Early Gal Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gal Ranking

In France, the name Gal is the 3,027th most popular surname with an estimated 2,000 - 2,500 people with that name. [3]

Ireland Migration of the Gal family to Ireland

Some of the Gal family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Gal migration to the United States +

Many settled along the east coast of what would become the United States and Canada. As the American War of Independence broke out, those who remained loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these hardy Dalriadan-Scottish settlers began to recover their collective history in the 20th century with the advent of the vibrant culture fostered by highland games and Clan societies in North America. Highland games, clan societies, and other organizations generated much renewed interest in Scottish heritage in the 20th century. The Gal were among the earliest of the Scottish settlers as immigration passenger lists have shown:

Gal Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Jose Gal, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1869 [4]
  • Juan Gal, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1878 [4]

Contemporary Notables of the name Gal (post 1700) +

  • Uziel "Uzi" Gal (1923-2002), born Gotthard Glas, a German-born Israeli gun designer, best remembered as the designer and namesake of the Uzi submachine gun
  • Minya Csaba Gál (b. 1985), Romanian rugby union footballer
  • Sándor Gál (1868-1937), Hungarian lawyer and politician, Speaker of the House of Representatives between 1909 and 1910
  • Gal Costa (b. 1945), Brazilian pop singer


  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  2. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  3. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  4. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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