| ![Show Contents]() Gala History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Ireland The Irish name Gala has a long Gaelic heritage to its credit. The original Gaelic form of the name Gala is Ó Gallchobhair, derived from the word "gallchobhar," which means "foreign help." Early Origins of the Gala familyThe surname Gala was first found in County Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall), northwest Ireland in the province of Ulster, sometimes referred to as County Tyrconnel, but claim descent from a warrior named "Gallchobhar" and held lands in the baronies of Raphoe and Tir Hugh. They held a castle at Ballyshannon and at one time also held the castle of Lifford. The Sept's chiefs were the traditional Marshals in the O'Donnells' military forces from the 14th to 16th centuries. The main branch of the family was based at Ballybeit and Ballynaglack. Early History of the Gala familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gala research. Another 55 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1545, 1547, 1725 and 1751 are included under the topic Early Gala History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Gala Spelling VariationsWithin the archives researched, many different spelling variations of the surname Gala were found. These included One reason for the many variations is that scribes and church officials often spelled an individual's name as it sounded. This imprecise method often led to many versions. Gallagher, Gallacher, Gallaugher, Gallaughor, Gallager and many more. Early Notables of the Gala familyNotable among the family name at this time was Bishop Redmund O'Gallagher, The Diocese of Killala, who was imprisoned and banished from the diocese on fraudulent charges; Redmond O'Gallagher, who was appointed Bishop of Killala by Pope Paul III in 1545; and Art O'Gallagher, Papal...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gala Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Gala migration to the United States | + |
A massive amount of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century for North America and Australia in hopes of finding more opportunities and an escape from discrimination and oppression. A great portion of these migrants arrived on the eastern shores of the North American continent. Although they were generally poor and destitute, and, therefore, again discriminated against, these Irish people were heartily welcomed for the hard labor involved in the construction of railroads, canals, roadways, and buildings. Many others were put to work in the newly established factories or agricultural projects that were so essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the world. The Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s initiated the largest wave of Iris immigration. Early North American immigration and passenger lists have revealed a number of people bearing the name Gala or a variant listed above:
Gala Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- George Gala, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 1
- Juan Gala, aged 34, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1850 1
- Plemente Gala, aged 35, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1851 1
| Contemporary Notables of the name Gala (post 1700) | + |
- Antonio Gala Velasco (1930-2023), Spanish poet, playwright, novelist and writer
- 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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Gala migration to the United States 
