MacGalloway History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of MacGalloway

What does the name MacGalloway mean?

In ancient Scotland, MacGalloway was a Strathclyde-Briton name for someone who lived in Galloway, Scotland, an area covering what is now the counties of Kircudbright and Wigtown.

Early Origins of the MacGalloway family

The surname MacGalloway 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 MacGalloway family

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

MacGalloway Spelling Variations

Prior to the first dictionaries, scribes spelled words according to sound. This, and the fact that Scottish names were repeatedly translated from Gaelic to English and back, contributed to the enormous number of spelling variations in Scottish names. MacGalloway has been spelled Galloway, Gallaway, Gallway, Gallowey, Gallaraw, Gallowray, Gallery and many more.

Early Notables of the MacGalloway family

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 one of the ministers of St. Giles's, Edinburgh...
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacGalloway Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the MacGalloway family to Ireland

Some of the MacGalloway 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 MacGalloway family

In such difficult times, the difficulties of raising the money to cross the Atlantic to North America did not seem so large compared to the problems of keeping a family together in Scotland. It was a journey well worth the cost, since it was rewarded with land and freedom the Scots could not find at home. The American War of Independence solidified that freedom, and many of those settlers went on to play important parts in the forging of a great nation. 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.

The MacGalloway 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: Higher