Surname Gallwey - Meaning and Origin

Gallwey: What does the surname Gallwey mean?

The last name Gallwey is of Irish origin and is an anglicised form of the Gaelic surname Ó Gallacháin, derived from the Gaelic word "gallchán" meaning "valley". It is a surname that belongs to several distinct Irish families, with its most common root in County Limerick and Louth. The earliest known recorded mention of this surname dates back to the twelfth century in Limerick.

Throughout the centuries, the name has been found in various forms—including but not limited to Galloway, Gallwagon, Gallwain, Galway, Callaway, Gawley and Galwey—providing evidence that the name has been adopted by different families over time.

The surname Gallwey is found chiefly in County Limerick today, with a small population in County Louth. Historically, the two main families associated with the name were O'Gallachain—a farming family from County Limerick—and another family from County Louth which claimed kinship with the O'Gallachain family in the 1500s. The two main septs of the O'Gallachain family were Ui O'Gallachain of Stradbally and O'Gallachain of Annacramp.

Currently, the Gallwey surname is fairly sparsely distributed throughout Ireland. It does, however, have a strong presence in Ireland, particularly in the counties of Limerick and Louth. Although the numbers may have diminished over the years, this surname still carries with it the proud and illustrious history of an ancient Irish family.

Gallwey: Where does the name Gallwey come from?

The Gallwey surname is a common one in Ireland and Great Britain today. While it is not a particularly unusual name, it is not as widespread as other British surnames.

The Gallwey family can trace its roots in Ireland back to the 13th century, while the first Gallweys in England appeared a bit later, in the 15th century. Since then, the surname has spread throughout much of the United Kingdom and Ireland, though there are fewer Gallweys in England than in Ireland. Most Scots and Welsh Gallweys have since taken the anglicized form of the name: Galway.

The greatest concentration of Gallweys can be found in County Wexford, in the south east of Ireland. It is believed that the first Gallwey in Ireland originated from this area and settled there. The surname can also be found in Cork and Dublin in the Republic of Ireland.

In the past century, Gallweys spread to places around the world with Irish and British immigrants. It is now a common name in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

In total, the Gallwey name is not an overly common name, but it is nonetheless spread around the world today due to the migration of its Irish and British counterparts throughout the last few centuries.

Variations of the surname Gallwey

The Gallwey surname is an English-origin name with roots traced to the Norman Conquest of 1066, and is thought to have been originally spelled with the Old French ‘gau’ or ‘gal’. It has many variants, including Gallwag, Galweg, Galway, Galwaye, Galwey, Galway, Gallway, Galwy, Gallwaye, Goulwey, Galeway, Galloweday, Golloway, Gallwey and Gowlwy. It can also be seen in various spellings on different official records, such as Gallwey, Galwey, Gallaway, Galaway, Galloway and Gallway.

There are also many regional spellings of the surname, including in Ireland, where it is spelled Gallwey, Galwey, Galway, Gallway, Galaway, Galwee, Golloway or Goulwey; in Scotland where it is spelled Gallaway, Galloway, Galway, Golloway, Galwee and Gallweigh; and in Wales where it is spelled Galwey, Galway, Galwaye, Galweigh, Gallweigh, Galloway, Golloway, Goulway, Gallwey, Gowlwy or Gollowe.

Since the 1500s, many different surnames have developed from the Gallwey surname, such as Galway, Gallywell, Gallyway, Galwee, Galaway, Goulwey, Galloway, Gallawy, Golloway, Gallweigh, Gollowe, Golway and Gallywaye.

Variations of the surname Gallwey are still found throughout the world today, particularly in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and other countries of British or Irish origin.

Famous people with the name Gallwey

• Sheaffuree Gallwey: Sheaffuree Gallwey is a British television presenter, radio DJ, and writer.
• Charles Gallwey: Charles Gallwey is a well-known interior designer, based in Los Angeles, who has been featured on shows such as HGTV and other popular home design programs.
• Philip Gallwey: Philip Gallwey is a physician, lecturer, and author best known for his work with the World Health Organization's Adolescent Sexuality Program.
• William Gallwey: William Gallwey is an author and self-help expert, best known as the creator of The Inner Game series of books.
• Helen Gallwey: Helen Gallwey is a retired professional tennis player who played on the international circuit from the 1980s to the 1990s.
• Bandea Gallwey: Bandea Gallwey is a renowned fashion designer based in London, United Kingdom who has been showcased in many magazines.
• David Gallwey: David Gallwey is a former Yacht Racing Champion and Olympic medalist.
• Thomas Gallwey: Thomas Gallwey is a sports medicine consultant, and is currently the director of the Inner Game Project.
• Louis Gallwey: Louis Gallwey is a British actor, known for his roles in TV series such as Sherlock, Call The Midwife, and Vera.
• Harry Gallwey: Harry Gallwey is an English rugby union player who plays for Bath Rugby.

Other surnames

Gallway