Galoway History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

It was in the Scottish/English Borderlands that the Strathclyde-Briton people first used the ancient name Galoway. It was a name for someone who lived in Galloway, Scotland, an area covering what is now the counties of Kircudbright and Wigtown.

Early Origins of the Galoway family

The surname Galoway 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 Galoway family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Galoway 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 Galoway History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Galoway Spelling Variations

Scribes in Medieval Scotland spelled names by sound rather than any set of rules, so an enormous number of spelling variations exist in names of that era. Galoway has been spelled Galloway, Gallaway, Gallway, Gallowey, Gallaraw, Gallowray, Gallery and many more.

Early Notables of the Galoway 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 Galoway Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Galoway family to Ireland

Some of the Galoway 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 Galoway family

The number of Strathclyde Clan families sailing for North America increased steadily as the persecution continued. In the colonies, they could find not only freedom from the iron hand of the English government, but land to settle on. The American War of Independence allowed many of these settlers to prove their independence, while some chose to go to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Scots played essential roles in the forging of both great nations. 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.