Contents [hide]

Wallis History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Wallis History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The saga of the name Wallis begins with a Strathclyde-Briton family in the ancient Scottish/English Borderlands. It is a name for a person who was understood to be foreign. The name is actually an abbreviation of Wallensis, which meant Welsh is derived from the Anglo Norman French word waleis, meaning foreign. It is sometimes difficult for the layman to understand how such a renowned Scottish Clan could be called, literally, Welsh. Yet from the 3rd to the 8th century the Kingdom of Strathclyde stretched from the northern tip of France to the southern shores of the Clyde in Scotland.

This kingdom was composed of solely coastal territories, of regions including Wales, Lancashire, Westmorland and that part of southwest Scotland known as Galloway. Ironically, the first Scottish poem, dated about 1000 AD, was written in Welsh.

Hence, Richard Wallensis was a vassal in 1174 of Walter FitzAlan, the Norman/Breton who had settled in Salop in England and then moved north to Scotland. He would later found the great line of Scottish Stewart Kings. The Wallensis were undoubtedly the original natives of the area rather than travelers who moved north from the Welsh border in the train of the Stewarts.

Early Origins of the Wallis family

The surname Wallis was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire where in 1173 AD Richard Wallensis obtained the lands that belonged to the former kingdom of Strathclyde called Richardstoun (now Riccarton) by a grant from the King. His son, Richard Walency (or Waleis) witnessed several charters between 1190 and 1220, showing his approval of transfers of land in Molle, Kelso, Cupa and Paisley. The Chiefship passed to his grandson, Sir Malcolm Wallace of Elderslie in Renfrewshire, who had acquired those lands, the ancient Clan territories and other lands in Ayrshire. It was the younger son of Malcolm Wallace, William Wallace, born in 1275, who was Scotland's folklore hero. A knight of no small qualification and skill, throughout his life he had maintained a friendship with the House of Stewart. His many exploits started in 1297 when he killed the Sheriff of Lanark.

Wallace continued to harass the English occupying army with such skill and bewildering speed that the English were demoralized. Wallace unified the Clans of Scotland against a common invader. One of the English captains reported that Wallace was lying in Selkirk forest with his army of Clansmen.

An English force moved northwards to destroy him but found itself under siege in Stirling Castle. The Battle of Stirling Bridge was a decisive victory for Wallace, and he was awarded the guardianship of Scotland. He was probably the greatest unifying factor that Scotland ever had. But the English King once more invaded Scotland, set up his own government and Wallace became an outlaw. Betrayed by Sir John de Menteith near Glasgow, he was tried for treason in London and executed on August 23rd, 1305.

But the Clan Wallace lived on with some forty or fifty branches, most of them having their own lands and territories. The Chiefly line of the Wallaces of Riccarton took on the designation of Craigie after acquiring the Craigie estates by marriage. Other important branches started at Cessnock and Kelly in Renfrewshire. The life of Wallace was well documented by "Blind Harry," the minstrel.

Early History of the Wallis family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wallis research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1616, 1642, 1688, 1703, 1720, 1795, 1890 and 1982 are included under the topic Early Wallis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wallis Spelling Variations

Spelling and translation were hardly exact sciences in Medieval Scotland. Sound, rather than any set of rules, was the basis for spellings, so one name was often spelled different ways even within a single document. Spelling variations are thus an extremely common occurrence in Medieval Scottish names. Wallis has been spelled Wallace, Wallis, Wallys, Walace, Uallas (Gaelic) and others.

Early Notables of the Wallis family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Samuel Wallis (1720-1795), an English navigator, eponym of Wallis Island
John Wallis (1616-1703), a British mathematician who introduced the infinity symbol, eponym of the asteroid 31982 Johnwallis

Wallis World Ranking

In the United States, the name Wallis is the 2,456^th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 1 However, in Australia, the name Wallis is ranked the 376^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,800 people with that name. 2 And in New Zealand, the name Wallis is the 447^th popular surname with an estimated 1,531 people with that name. 3 The United Kingdom ranks Wallis as 488^th with 13,264 people. 4

Migration of the Wallis family to Ireland

Some of the Wallis family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wallis migration to the United States +

Such hard times forced many to leave their homeland in search of opportunity across the Atlantic. Many of these families settled along the east coast of North America in communities that would become the backbones of the young nations of the United States and Canada. The ancestors of many of these families have rediscovered their roots in the 20th century through the establishment of Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. Among them:

Wallis Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Edmund Wallis, who landed in Virginia in 1628 5
George Wallis, aged 15, British settler who landed in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Abigail" 5
Ralph Wallis, aged 40, British settler who arrived in America in 1635 aboard the ship "Abigail" 5
Joan Wallis, (b. 1616), aged 19, British settler who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Abigail" 6
Thomas Wallis, aged 27, who arrived in Barbados in 1635 aboard the ship "Falcon" 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wallis Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Samuel Wallis, who landed in Virginia in 1709 5
William Wallis, who arrived in Virginia in 1711 5
Oliver Wallis, who landed in New England in 1733 5
Elizabeth Wallis, who landed in Savanna(h), Georgia in 1733 5

Wallis Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Alfred Wallis, aged 21, who landed in New York in 1812 5
James Wallis, aged 40, who landed in New York in 1812 5
John Wallis, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1821 5
Mr. Noah Wallis, (b. 1807), aged 30, Cornish miner departing from Falmouth aboard the ship "Royal Adelaide" arriving in the United States on 8th May 1837 8
Mrs. Elizabeth Wallis, (b. 1807), aged 30, Cornish settler departing from Falmouth aboard the ship "Royal Adelaide" arriving in the United States on 8th May 1837 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wallis Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Joseph Wallis, who arrived in Arkansas in 1906 5

Wallis migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Wallis Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Peter Wallis, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Jonathan Wallis, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750

Wallis Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Luke Wallis, who arrived in Canada in 1829
Mary Wallis, aged 35, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the barque "Independence" from Kinsale, Ireland
Mary Wallis, aged 19, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the barque "Independence" from Kinsale, Ireland
Johannah Wallis, aged 17, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the barque "Independence" from Kinsale, Ireland
Margaret Wallis, aged 16, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the barque "Independence" from Kinsale, Ireland
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wallis migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Wallis Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Ellis Wallis, (Alice), (b. 1791), aged 21, English servant who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Emu" in October 1812, the ship was captured and the passengers put ashore, the convicts were then transported aboard the "Broxburnebury" in January 1812 arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1829 9
Mr. William Wallis, (b. 1779), aged 34, Cornish settler convicted in Cornwall, UK on 16th August 1813, sentenced for life for stealing sheep from Thomas Pethick, transported aboard the ship "Somersetshire" in May 1814 to New South Wales, Australia 10
Mr. William Wallis, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. James Wallis, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" in May 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
Mr. John Wallis, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Batavia" in October 1817, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wallis migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Wallis Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

James Wallis, who landed in Bay of Islands, New Zealand in 1834
M A Wallis, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1834
W H Wallis, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1837
Richard Wallis, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1843
Mr. W.W. Wallis, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Lord Burleigh" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 8th August 1856 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Wallis (post 1700) +

W. Allen Wallis (1912-1998), American economist, statistician, presidential adviser to Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, President of the University of Rochester (1962-1970)
Jim Wallis (b. 1948), American Christian writer and political activist, best known as the founder and editor of Sojourners magazine
Harold Brent "Hal" Wallis (1898-1986), born Aaron Blum Wolowicz, American motion picture producer perhaps best known for Casablanca, twice awarded the Academy Awards' Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award and the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in motion pictures
James E. Wallis, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1972 15
J. William Wallis, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Bladensburg, Maryland, 1875-80 15
Harrison Wallis, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Bladensburg, Maryland, 1880-83 15
H. Wallis, American politician, First Selectman of Colchester, Connecticut, 1910 15
Frederick A. Wallis, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kentucky, 1932; Candidate in primary for Governor of Kentucky, 1935 15
Charles L. Wallis, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1972 15
Alexander H. Wallis, American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey, 1854, 1857 15
... (Another 26 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Wallis family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Michael H S J Wallis (b. 1920), English Marine serving for the Royal Marine from Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 16

RMS Titanic

Mrs. Catherine Jane Wallis (d. 1912), aged 35, English Second Class Matron from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 17

The Wallis Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Pro libertate
Motto Translation: For liberty.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Emu
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_convicts.pdf
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 1st March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/batavia
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html