When the Anglo-
Normans began to settle in
Ireland, they brought the tradition of
local surnames to an island which already had a Gaelic naming system of
hereditary surnames established. Unlike the Irish, the Anglo-
Normans had an affinity for local surnames.
Local surnames, such as Gallwey, were formed from the names of a place or a geographical landmark where the person lived, held land, or was born. The earliest Anglo-Norman surnames of this type came from
Normandy, but as the
Normans moved, they created names that referred to where they actually resided. Therefore, English places were used for names when the
Normans lived in
England, and then Irish places after these particular Anglo-
Normans had been settled in
Ireland for some time. Originally, these place names were prefixed by de, which means from in French. However, this type of prefix was eventually either made a part of the surname, if the place name began with a vowel, or it was eliminated entirely. The Gallwey family originally lived in either of two places. The Gallwey family of
Ulster derives its name from the region of
Galloway in southern
Scotland, which lies nearby. However, the southern Gallwey family probably derives its surname from the city or county of
Galway in Ireland.
Early Origins of the Gallwey family
The surname Gallwey was first found in
County Cork (Irish: Corcaigh) the ancient Kingdom of Deis Muin (Desmond), located on the southwest coast of
Ireland in the province of
Munster, where they were granted land by
Strongbow after the invasion of 1172.
Early History of the Gallwey family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gallwey research.
Another 298 words (21 lines of text) covering the years 1361 and 1430 are included under the topic Early Gallwey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Gallwey Spelling Variations
Medieval scribes and church officials often spelled the name Gallwey as it sounded to them. As a result, the name Gallwey, over the ages, has attained many
spelling variations including Galwey, Galswey,
Galway, Gallway, Gallwey and many more.
Early Notables of the Gallwey family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Gallwey Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Gallwey family to the New World and Oceana
Ireland experienced a dramatic decrease in its population during the 19th century. This was in a great measure, a response to England's imperialistic policies. Hunger and disease took the lives of many Irish people and many more chose to leave their homeland to escape the horrific conditions. North America with its promise of work, freedom, and land was an extremely popular destination for
Irish families. For those families that survived the journey, all three of these things were often attained through much hard work and perseverance. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Gallwey: James
Galway who settled in New York State in 1803; another two James Galways settled in Pennsylvania, one in 1773 and one in 1846.
Contemporary Notables of the name Gallwey (post 1700)
- Harry A. Gallwey, American Democrat politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Montana, 1916 (member, Committee on Permanent Organization) [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Gallwey 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: Vincit Veritas
Motto Translation: Truth conquers.