Wallace is a Scottish surname stemmed from the Anglo-Norman French "Welshman". It is a northern variant form of "Welshman" (Wace, Brut, éd. I. Arnold, 13927); adjectiv "Welsh" (Id., ibid., 14745); same as "the oil language" (J. Bretel, Tournoi de Chauvency, éd. M. Delbouille, 63).CNRTL : Etymology of gaulois (French)
It originates from Old Low Franconian *Walhisk meaning "foreigner", "Celt", "Roman" which is a cognate of Old English wǣlisċ meaning "foreigner" or "Welshman" (see also Wallach and Walhaz). The original surname may have denoted someone from the former Kingdom of Strathclyde who spoke Cumbric, a close relative of the Welsh language, or possibly an incomer from Wales, or the Welsh Marches. The Kingdom of Strathclyde was originally a part of the Hen Ogledd, its people speaking a Brittonic language distinct from Scottish Gaelic and the Scots language derived from Lothian.
Variations of the name include Welsh, Walla, Wallais, Wallice, Wallang, Wallass, Wallayis, Wallays, Walleis, Wallensis, Walles, Valance, Valensis, Valeyns, Vallace, Vallance, and Valles.
Notable people
Academia Alexander Doniphan Wallace (1905–1985) American mathematician Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913), British naturalist and biologist Andrew H. Wallace (1926–2008), Scottish-American mathematician Bruce Wallace (geneticist) Carden Wallace, Australian marine biologist Carolynn Reid-Wallace (born 1942), American academic administrator Catherine C. "Cath" Wallace (born 1952), New Zealand environmentalist and academic Chris Wallace (computer scientist) (1933–2004), Australian computer scientist and physicist, developer of Minimum Message Length David R. Wallace (1942–2012), American software engineer and inventor David Rains Wallace (born 1945), author on conservation and natural history David Wallace (physicist) (born 1945), British physicist and Master of Churchill College, Cambridge David Wallace (medievalist), British scholar of medieval literature Dorothy Wallace, American mathematician Douglas C. Wallace (born 1946), American geneticist and evolutionary biologist Frank R. Wallace (1932–2006), author and philosopher Ian Wallace (ornithologist) (1933–2021), British ornithologist and natural history author John Higgins Wallace Jr. (1906–1989), American chemist John L. Wallace (born 1956), Canadian medical scientist J. M. Wallace-Hadrill (1916–1985), British academic and historian John Michael Wallace (born 1940), American atmospheric scientist Mike Wallace (historian) (1942–2026), American historian Perry Wallace (1948–2017), American law professor and first African American athlete to play a complete college career in the Southeastern Conference Raymond L. Wallace (1918–2002), American Bigfoot researcher Richard Wallace (scientist), artificial intelligence researcher Robert Charles Wallace (1881–1955), Scottish-born Canadian geologist, educator, and administrator William Wallace (philosopher) (1844–1897), Scottish philosopher William Wallace (mathematician) (1768–1843), Scottish mathematician William Wallace, Baron Wallace of Saltaire (born 1941), British academic, writer and politician William A. Wallace (organizational theorist) (born 1935), Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute William E. Wallace (1917–2004), physical chemist
Armed forces Christopher Wallace (British Army officer) (1943–2016), retired British Army general and trustee of the Imperial War Museum Colin Wallace (born 1943), British soldier and psychological warfare operative George W. Wallace (1872–1946), American soldier Hazel Wallace (1897–1976), Canadian World War I flying ace Herman C. Wallace (1924–1945), American soldier Jacob Wallace (1810–1847), American pro-Mexican guerrilla leader James Wallace (Royal Navy officer) (1731–1803), Royal Navy officer Lew Wallace (1827–1905), American Civil War general and author Martin Wallace (soldier) (born 1969), Australian SASR soldier Martin R. M. Wallace (1829–1902), American Union brevet brigadier general Robert Wallace (British Army officer) (1860–1929), Irish lawyer, soldier and politician Samuel Thomas Dickson Wallace (1892–1968), Scottish soldier W. H. L. Wallace (1821–1862), Union general in the American Civil War William Wallace (died 1305), Scottish landowner, one of the main leaders during the wars of Scottish Independence William Henry Wallace (1827–1901), Confederate general and South Carolina state legislator William Miller Wallace (1844–1924), U.S. Army general
Law John Wallace (New Zealand judge) (1934–2012), chairman of the Royal Commission on the Electoral System, 1986 John Clifford Wallace (born 1928), United States federal judge John E. Wallace Jr. (born 1942), former New Jersey Supreme Court justice John William Wallace (1815–1884), American lawyer Michael Wallace (lawyer) (born 1951), American lawyer William James Wallace (1837–1917), lawyer and federal judge in the United States William Robert Wallace (1886–1960), American judge William T. Wallace (1828–1909), Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California and an Attorney General of California
Media (actors, artists, writers, journalists) Amy Wallace (1955–2013), American writer Andree Wallace, American actress André Wallace (born 1947), English sculptor Andy Wallace (producer) (born 1947), American music studio engineer Anne Wallace (born 1970), Australian painter Barbara Brooks Wallace (1922–2018), American children's writer Benjamin Wallace (writer), American author and magazine writer Beryl Wallace (1912–1948), American singer, dancer, and actress Bill Wallace (author) (1947–2012), American author Bronwen Wallace (1945–1989), Canadian poet and short story writer Chris Wallace (born 1947), American newscaster at ABC, NBC, and Fox News Chris Wallace-Crabbe (1934–2025), Australian poet Christine Wallace (born 1960), Australian journalist and author Claire Wallace (broadcaster) (1900 or 1906–1968), Canadian journalist and broadcaster Daniel Wallace (author) (born 1959), American author Danny Wallace (humourist) (born 1976), British comedian, author and presenter David Wallace (American actor) (born 1958), American actor David Foster Wallace (1962–2008), American novelist Dee Wallace (born 1948), American actress DeWitt Wallace (1889–1981), American co-founder of Reader's Digest magazine Donald Mackenzie Wallace (1841–1919), British public servant, journalist and author Dougie Wallace, Scots photographer Ed Wallace (1953–2025), American radio personality Edgar Wallace (1875–1932), British crime writer George Wallace (American comedian) (born 1952), American comedian Ginger Wallace (1924–2010), American artist Gregg Wallace (born 1964) English broadcaster Ian Wallace (author) (1912–1998), American science fiction author Ian Wallace (artist) (born 1943), pioneer of Vancouver's conceptual art movement Ian Wallace (illustrator), Canadian illustrator of children's books Ian Wallace (photographer) (born 1972), Tasmanian landscape photographer Irving Wallace (1916–1990), American author and screenwriter Jean Wallace (1923–1990), American actress Jessie Wallace (born 1971), English actress John Graham Wallace (born 1966), English author of children's books Kathleen Kemarre Wallace (born 1948), Australian Aboriginal artist Kathryn Ann Wallace (born 1975), American television and film journalist Kevin Wallace (theatre producer) (born 1957), Irish theatrical producer Lila Bell Wallace (1889–1984), American co-founder of Reader's Digest magazine Louise Wallace (born 1959), New Zealand television presenter, actress and director Louise Wallace (writer) (born 1983), New Zealand poet Marcia Wallace (1942–2013), American actress Marjorie Wallace (born 1954), American model, actress and presenter Mike Wallace (1918–2012), American television correspondent Morgan Wallace (1881–1953), American actor Naomi Wallace (born 1960), American playwright, screenwriter and poet Nick Wallace (born 1972), British author Nicolle Wallace (born 1972), American television host, author, and former political figure Pierce Wallace (born 1995), American sports fan and television personality Randall Wallace (born 1949), American writer and film director Richard Wallace (director) (1894–1951), American film director Richard Wallace (journalist) (born 1961), British newspaper editor Rowena Wallace (born 1947), English-born Australian actress Tommy Lee Wallace (born 1949), American film producer, director and screenwriter William O. Wallace (1906–1968), American Hollywood set decorator William Ross Wallace (1819–1881), American poet
Musicians Aria Wallace (born 1996), American actress and singer Beryl Wallace (1912–1948), American singer, dancer and actress Bill Wallace (musician) (born 1949), Canadian rock-and-roll musician Chris Wallace (musician) (born 1985), lead vocalist for The White Tie Affair Christopher George Latore Wallace (1972–1997), American rap artist The Notorious B.I.G. Emmett "Babe" Wallace (1909–2006), American composer, singer, actor Frank Wallace (piper) (), Irish musician Ian Wallace (drummer) (1946–2007), drummer with King Crimson, Bob Dylan, and many others Ian Wallace (singer) (1919–2009), singer and contestant on My Music Jerry Wallace (1928–2008), American country and pop singer John Wallace (musician) (fl. 1971– present), American bassist and singer John Wallace (trumpeter) (1949–2026), Scottish trumpeter John Bruce Wallace (born 1950), American musician and artist Michael Wallace (piper) (fl. late 1800s), Irish musician Simon Wallace (born 1957), British composer and pianist Sippie Wallace (1898–1986), American singer-songwriter Stewart Wallace (born 1960), American composer Terry Wallace Jr. (born 1994), American rapper Tee Grizzley Wesley Wallace dates unknown), American blues and boogie-woogie pianist William Wallace (Scottish composer) (1860–1940), Scottish composer William Vincent Wallace (1812–1865), Irish composer
Politics and business Ben Wallace (politician) (born 1970), British Conservative politician Bob Wallace (computer scientist) (1949–2002), American software developer & programmer Carleton Lyman Wallace (1866–1919), American lawyer and Minnesota state legislator Dan Wallace (politician) (born 1942), Irish Fianna Fáil politician David Wallace (Indiana politician) (1799–1859), 6th Governor of Indiana David G. Wallace, American businessman and politician, mayor of Sugar Land, Texas David Wardrope Wallace (1850–1924), Canadian MP for Russell, 1903–1904 Elizabeth Virginia Wallace (1885–1982), birth name of Bess Truman, wife of U.S. President Harry S. Truman Euan Wallace (1892–1941), British Conservative politician G. Frank Wallace (1887–1964), New York state senator Georg Wallace (1804–1890), Norwegian politician. George Wallace (1919–1998), 45th Governor of Alabama George Wallace Jr. (born 1951), American politician Henry A. Wallace (1888–1965), 33rd Vice President of the United States Henry Cantwell Wallace (1866–1924), American farmer, journalist and political activist I. T. A. Wallace-Johnson (1894–1965), Sierra Leonean journalist, activist and politician Jim Wallace, Baron Wallace of Tankerness (1954–2026), British politician and Deputy First Minister of Scotland John Wallace (Australian politician) (1828–1901), Australian politician John Wallace (Canadian politician) (1812–1896), New Brunswick farmer and member of the Canadian House of Commons John Wallace (English politician) (1840–1910), English politician John Wallace (Florida politician) (1842–1908), Florida Republican politician John Wallace (Scottish politician) (1868–1949), Member of Parliament for Dumfermline Burghs John Alexander Wallace (1881–1961), Canadian politician John D. Wallace (born 1949), Canadian politician John Winfield Wallace (1818–1889), US Congressman from Pennsylvania Jonathan H. Wallace (1824–1892), United States Congressman