Show ContentsGallea History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Gallea comes from one of the family having worked as a galley-man. One source notes that these people were "rowers" 1 while another notes that "these were commonly called gallie-men, as men that came up in the gallies, who brought up wines and other merchandizes, which they landed in Thames-strete, at a place called Galley- key." 2

Early Origins of the Gallea family

The surname Gallea was first found in Yorkshire where Henry Galye was first listed in the Assize Rolls of 1219. Years later, Adam del Galay was listed in 1304. 1

Early History of the Gallea family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gallea research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1304, 1696, 1714, 1717, 1721, 1728 and 1769 are included under the topic Early Gallea History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gallea Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Gallea have been found, including: Galley, Gallie, Gally, Galey, Gally and others.

Early Notables of the Gallea family

Distinguished members of the family include Henry Gally (1696-1769), English divine and classical scholar, son of the Rev. Peter Gally, a French Protestant refugee, was born at Beckenham, Kent, in August 1696. He was admitted a pensioner of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, under the tuition of Mr. Fawcett...
Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gallea Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gallea family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Among the first immigrants of the name Gallea, or a variant listed above to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were : John Galley purchased land in Salem, Massachusetts in 1637. In the same year Thomas Galley landed on the island of St. Christopher; William Galley settled in Virginia in 1637.


Halifax Explosion


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance


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