Galaway History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Galaway

What does the name Galaway mean?

An ancient Strathclyde-Briton family from the Scottish/English Borderlands were the first to use the name Galaway. They lived in Galloway, Scotland, an area covering what is now the counties of Kircudbright and Wigtown.

Early Origins of the Galaway family

The surname Galaway was first found in Galloway (Gaelic: Gall-ghaidhealaibh), an area of southwestern Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Dumfries and Galloway, that formerly consisted of the counties of Wigtown (West Galloway) and Kirkcudbright (East Galloway), where they held a family seat from very early times.

Early History of the Galaway family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Galaway research. Another 177 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1230, 1405, 1430, 1551, 1576, 1580, 1581, 1606, 1607, 1610, 1615, 1619, 1626, 1632 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Galaway History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Galaway Spelling Variations

Before the printing press standardized spelling in the last few hundred years, no general rules existed in the English language. Spelling variations in Scottish names from the Middle Ages are common even within a single document. Galaway has been spelled Galloway, Gallaway, Gallway, Gallowey, Gallaraw, Gallowray, Gallery and many more.

Early Notables of the Galaway family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Patrick Galloway (1551?-1626?), Scottish divine, born about 1551. In 1576 he was appointed minister of the parishes of Foulis Easter and Longforgan, Perthshire. On 14 Nov, 1580 he was called to the Middle Church at Perth, and admitted on 24 April 1581. Galloway was popular as a preacher, and his services were sought in 1606 as...
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Galaway Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Galaway family to Ireland

Some of the Galaway family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Galaway family

For Scottish immigrants, the great expense of travel to North America did not seem such a problem in those unstable times. Acres of land awaited them and many got the chance to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. These Scots and their ancestors went on to play important roles in the forging of the great nations of the United States and Canada. Among them: Rev. George Galloway who arrived in York county, Ontario in 1814; Jessie Galloway who arrived in Victoria, county, Ontario in 1831; James and Eliza Gallery who arrived in New York in 1811.