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The Gaelic name used by the MacGalle family in ancient Ireland was Mac Ciele, which is derived from the word ciele, which means companion.
The surname MacGalle was first found in County Mayo (Irish: Maigh Eo) located on the West coast of the Republic of Ireland in the province of Connacht, from before the 12th century.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacGalle research. Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacGalle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The search for the origins of the name MacGalle family name revealed numerous spelling variations. These variants can be somewhat accounted for when it is realized that before widespread literacy people only recognized their name by pronunciation; it was up to scribes to decide how it was to be formally recorded. Variations found include MacHale, McHale, MacHail, McHail, McCale, MacCale and others.
More information is included under the topic Early MacGalle Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The 18th century saw the slow yet steady emigration of Irish families to British North America and the United States. Those early Irish settlers that left their homeland were typically moderately well off: they were enticed by the promise of a sizable plot of land. However, by the 1840s, this pattern of immigration was gone: immigrants to North America were seeking refuge from the starvation and disease that the Great Potato Famine of that decade brought. The great numbers of Irish that arrived to the United States and the soon to be Canada were instrumental in their quick development as powerful industrial nations. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists uncovered many early immigrants bearing the name MacGalle: Anthony, James, John, Martin, Patrick, Peter and Richard MacHale all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.