Wallace (surname)
Wallace is a Scottish surname stemmed from the Anglo-Norman French Waleis "Welshman". It is a northern variant form of Gualeis "Welshman" ; adjectiv gualeis "Welsh" ; same as walois "the oil language". It originates from Old Low Franconian *Walhisk meaning "foreigner", "Celt", "Roman" which is a cognate of Old English wylisċ meaning "foreigner" or "Welshman". 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 Brythonic language distinct from Scottish Gaelic and the English derived from Lothian. In modern times, in the 19th and 20th centuries, the surname has been used as an Americanization of numerous Ashkenazic Jewish surnames.
Notable people
Academia
- Alexander Doniphan Wallace American mathematician
- Alfred Russel Wallace, British naturalist and biologist
- Andrew H. Wallace, Scottish-American mathematician
- Carden Wallace, Australian marine biologist
- Catherine C. "Cath" Wallace is a New Zealand environmentalist and academic.
- Chris Wallace , Australian computer scientist and physicist, developer of Minimum Message Length
- David R. Wallace, American software engineer and inventor
- David Rains Wallace, author on conservation and natural history
- David Wallace , British physicist and Master of Churchill College, Cambridge
- David Wallace, American scholar of medieval literature
- Dorothy Wallace, American mathematician
- Ernest Wallace, American historian
- Frank R. Wallace, author and philosopher
- Ian Wallace, British ornithologist and natural history author
- J. M. Wallace-Hadrill, British academic and historian
- John Higgins Wallace, Jr., American chemist
- John L. Wallace, Canadian medical scientist
- John Michael Wallace, American atmospheric scientist
- Mike Wallace, American historian
- Perry Wallace, American law professor and first African American athlete to play a complete college career in the Southeastern Conference
- Raymond L. Wallace, American Bigfoot researcher
- Richard Wallace, artificial intelligence researcher
- Robert Charles Wallace, Scottish-born Canadian geologist, educator, and administrator
- William Wallace , Scottish philosopher
- William Wallace , Scottish mathematician
- William Wallace, Baron Wallace of Saltaire, British academic, writer and politician
- William A. Wallace , Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- William E. Wallace, physical chemist
- William S. Wallace, General in the United States Army
Armed forces
- Christopher Wallace , retired British Army general and trustee of the Imperial War Museum
- Colin Wallace, British soldier and psychological warfare operative
- George W. Wallace, American soldier
- Herman C. Wallace, American soldier
- David John Wallace MC, British infantry officer and son of politician Euan Wallace
- James Wallace , Royal Navy officer
- Lew Wallace, American Civil War general and author
- Martin Wallace , Australian SASR soldier
- Martin R. M. Wallace, American Union brevet brigadier general
- Robert Wallace , Irish lawyer, soldier and politician
- Samuel Thomas Dickson Wallace, Scottish soldier
- W. H. L. Wallace, Union general in the American Civil War
- William Wallace, Scottish landowner who became one of the main leaders during the wars of Scottish Independence
- William Henry Wallace, Confederate general and South Carolina state legislator
- William Miller Wallace, U.S. Army general
- Douglas C. Wallace, U.S. Army Signal Corp, SPC4
- Leslie Rae Wallace, U.S. Army National Guard, SPC4
Law
- John Wallace , chairman of the Royal Commission on the Electoral System, 1986
- John Clifford Wallace, United States federal judge
- John E. Wallace, Jr., former New Jersey Supreme Court justice
- John William Wallace, American lawyer
- Michael Wallace , U.S. lawyer
- William Robert Wallace, American judge
- William James Wallace, lawyer and federal judge in the United States
- William T. Wallace, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California and an Attorney General of California
Media (actors, artists, writers, journalists)
- Andy Wallace, music studio engineer
- Anne Wallace, Australian painter
- Barbara Brooks Wallace, American children's writer
- Beryl Wallace, American singer, dancer, and actress
- Bill Wallace , American author
- Bronwen Wallace, Canadian poet and short story writer
- Chris Wallace, newscaster at ABC, NBC, and Fox News
- Chris Wallace-Crabbe, Australian poet
- Christine Wallace, Australian journalist and author
- Claire Wallace , Canadian journalist and broadcaster
- Daniel Wallace , American author
- Danny Wallace , British comedian, author and presenter
- David Wallace , American actor
- David Foster Wallace, American novelist
- Dee Wallace, American actress
- DeWitt Wallace, American co-founder of Reader's Digest magazine
- Donald Mackenzie Wallace, British public servant, journalist and author
- Dougie Wallace, Scots photographer
- Edgar Wallace, British crime writer
- George Wallace , American comedian
- George Wallace , American poet
- Ginger Wallace, American artist
- Gregg Wallace, British media personality, presenter and writer
- Ian Wallace , science fiction author
- Ian Wallace , pioneer of Vancouver's conceptual art movement
- Ian Wallace, illustrator of children's books
- Ian Wallace , Tasmanian landscape photographer
- Irving Wallace, American author and screenwriter
- Jean Wallace, American actress
- Jessie Wallace, English actress
- John Graham Wallace, English author of children's books
- Kathryn Ann Wallace is an American television and film journalist
- Kevin Wallace, Irish theatrical producer
- Lila Bell Wallace, American co-founder of Reader's Digest magazine
- Louise Wallace, New Zealand television presenter, actress and director
- Louise Wallace , New Zealand poet
- Marcia Wallace, American actress
- Marjorie Wallace, American model, actress and presenter
- Mike Wallace, television correspondent
- Morgan Wallace, American actor
- Naomi Wallace, American playwright, screenwriter and poet
- Nick Wallace, British author
- Randall Wallace, American writer and film director
- Richard Wallace , American film director
- Richard Wallace , British newspaper editor
- Rowena Wallace, English-born Australian actress
- Tommy Lee Wallace, American film producer, director and screenwriter
- William O. Wallace, Hollywood set decorator
- William Ross Wallace, American poet
Musicians
- Aria Wallace, American actress and singer
- Beryl Wallace, American singer, dancer and actress
- Bill Wallace , Canadian rock-and-roll musician
- Chris Wallace , lead vocalist for The White Tie Affair
- Christopher George Latore Wallace, aka The Notorious B.I.G., American rap artist
- David Wallace , Irish composer and conductor
- Frank Wallace , Irish musician
- Ian Wallace , drummer with King Crimson, Bob Dylan, and many others
- Ian Wallace , singer and contestant on My Music
- Jerry Wallace, American country and pop singer
- John Wallace , American bassist and singer
- John Bruce Wallace, American musician and artist
- Michael Wallace , Irish musician
- Nina Wallace , American Singer-Songwriter
- Simon Wallace, British composer and pianist
- Sippie Wallace, American singer-songwriter
- Stewart Wallace, American composer
- William Wallace , Scottish composer
- William Vincent Wallace, Irish composer
Politics and business
- Ben Wallace , British Conservative politician
- Bess Truman, born Elizabeth Virginia Wallace, wife of U.S. President Harry S. Truman
- Bob Wallace, early Microsoft employee
- Dan Wallace , Irish Fianna Fáil politician
- David Wallace , 6th Governor of Indiana
- David G. Wallace, American businessman and politician, mayor of Sugar Land, Texas
- David Wardrope Wallace, Canadian MP for Russell, 1903–1904
- Euan Wallace, British Conservative politician
- G. Frank Wallace, New York state senator
- George Wallace, 45th Governor of Alabama
- George Wallace, Jr., American politician
- Henry A. Wallace, 33rd Vice President of the United States
- Henry Cantwell Wallace, farmer, journalist and political activist
- I. T. A. Wallace-Johnson, Sierra Leonean journalist, activist and politician
- Jim Wallace, Baron Wallace of Tankerness, British politician and former Deputy First Minister of Scotland
- John Wallace , Australian politician
- John Wallace , New Brunswick farmer and member of the Canadian House of Commons
- John Wallace , English politician
- John Wallace , Florida Republican politician
- John Wallace , Member of Parliament for Dumfermline Burghs
- John Alexander Wallace, Canadian politician
- John D. Wallace, Canadian politician
- John Winfield Wallace, US Congressman from Pennsylvania
- Jonathan H. Wallace, United States Congressman
- Lurleen Wallace, 46th Governor of Alabama
- Marjorie Wallace , CEO of SANE, the mental health charity
- Mark Wallace, American businessman, diplomat and lawyer
- Martin Kelso Wallace, Lord Mayor of Belfast
- Mary Wallace, Irish Fianna Fáil politician
- Michael Wallace , Scottish-born merchant, judge and political figure in Nova Scotia
- Mick Wallace, Irish politician, football manager and property developer
- Mike Wallace , Canadian politician
- Peggy Wallace, American politician
- Robert Wallace , Canadian Member of Parliament
- Robert Wallace , British Member of Parliament for Edinburgh East, 1886–1899
- Robert Wallace , Scottish politician, MP for Greenock, 1832–1845
- Robert Wallace , Irish-born politician, MP for Perth, 1895–1907
- Robert M. Wallace, United States Representative from Arkansas
- William Wallace , Scottish-born merchant and politician in Ontario
- William A. Wallace, U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania
- William C. Wallace, U.S. Representative from New York
- William H. Wallace, first territorial governor and Congressional delegate from Idaho Territory
- William J. Wallace, 7th Mayor of Indianapolis, Indiana
Religion
- Duncan Wallace, Canadian Anglican Bishop of Qu'Appelle
- Foy E. Wallace, American Churches of Christ minister
- John Wallace , Scottish Roman Catholic prelate
- Martin Wallace , English Anglican Bishop of Selby
- Robert Wallace , minister of the Church of Scotland and writer on population
- Robert Wallace , English Unitarian minister
- William Wallace , Irish Jesuit and Indologist
Sport
- A. J. Wallace , American football player
- Alexander Wallace, English footballer
- Andy Wallace , British race car driver
- Ben Wallace, American basketball player
- Bill Wallace , American football player
- Bill Wallace , American karateka and kickboxer
- Billy Wallace, New Zealand rugby union player
- B. J. Wallace, former American Minor League Baseball pitcher
- Bo Wallace, American football player
- Bob Wallace , former American football player
- Bob Wallace, English footballer
- Bob Wallace , footballer for Nottingham Forest
- Bob Wallace, New Zealand racing driver instrumental in the founding of automaker Lamborghini
- Bobby Wallace , American college football coach
- Bobby Wallace , American baseball player
- Chris Wallace , American football quarterback
- Chris Wallace, General Manager of the Memphis Grizzlies
- Darrell Wallace Jr., American stock car driver
- Dave Wallace , American baseball coach and player
- David Wallace , American professional baseball player
- David Wallace, New Zealand international soccer player
- David Wallace , Irish rugby union player
- Derek Wallace, American baseball player
- Doc Wallace, American baseball player
- Don Wallace, American baseball player
- Frank Wallace , American soccer player, nicknamed "Pee Wee"
- Gerald Wallace, American basketball player
- Harold Wallace, Costa Rican soccer player
- Heather Wallace, Canadian squash player
- Huck Wallace, American baseball player
- Ian Wallace , Scottish international footballer
- Isabelle Wallace, Australian tennis player
- Jack Wallace , American football player and coach
- Jack Wallace , American baseball player
- Jackie Wallace, American football player
- Jarrod Wallace, Australian Rugby League player
- Jilly Wallace, British freestyle skier and mother of Lloyd
- Jock Wallace, Jr., Scottish football player and manager
- John Wallace, college football coach, head football coach at Rutgers University
- John Wallace , American basketball player
- John Wallace , South African-born first-class cricketer, who played for Rhodesia
- John Wallace , Canadian rower
- John Wallace , American sailor
- Jonathan Wallace, American basketball player
- Joe Wallace , Scottish footballer
- Keith Wallace, English boxer of the 1970s, '80s and '90s
- Ken Wallace , Australian sprint canoer
- Ken Wallace , English cricketer
- Kenny Wallace, American stock car driver
- K'Von Wallace, American football player
- Lee Wallace, Scottish football player
- Levi Wallace , American football player
- Lloyd Wallace, British freestyle skier and son of Jilly
- Mike Wallace , American baseball player
- Mark Wallace , Welsh cricketer
- Merv Wallace, New Zealand cricketer
- Mike Wallace , American football wide receiver
- Mike Wallace , race car driver
- Peter Wallace, Australian Rugby League player
- Philo Wallace, Barbadian cricketer
- Raphael Wallace, Nevisian cricketer
- Rasheed Wallace, American basketball player
- Rod Wallace, English football player
- Ross Wallace, Scottish football player
- Rusty Wallace, American NASCAR driver
- Seneca Wallace, American football player
- Steve Wallace , American football player
- Steve Wallace , American race car driver
- Terry Wallace, Australian football player and coach
- William Wallace , Canadian Olympic rower
- William Middleton Wallace, Scotland rugby player
- Willie Wallace, Scottish footballer
Fiction
- Barret Wallace, fictional character in Final Fantasy VII
- Beth Wallace, fictional character in the soap opera Passions
- Chris Wallace, an EastEnders character
- David Wallace, CEO of Dunder Mifflin on the US TV series The Office
- Eli Wallace, fictional character on the TV science fiction drama series Stargate Universe
- Marsellus Wallace, fictional gangster portrayed by Ving Rhames in the 1994 film Pulp Fiction
- Nicole Wallace, fictional character on the TV drama series Law & Order: Criminal Intent
- Nathan Wallace and Shilo Wallace, fictional characters in Repo! The Genetic Opera
- Wallace Wallace, fictional character in No More Dead Dogs who was always on detention.
Other
- David A. Wallace, urban planner and architect
- Frank Wallace , Irish-American gangster from South Boston
- John Findley Wallace, American engineer best known as the Chief Engineer of the Panama Canal between 1904 and 1906
- John-Paul Wallace, English chess player
- Joseph Wallace, American two-year-old murdered by his mother
- Keith Wallace, wine columnist for The Daily Beast, and founder of the Wine School of Philadelphia
- Martin Wallace, English game designer
- Michele Wallace, African American feminist
- Minik Wallace, Greenland-born Inuk brought to America for study
- Sir Richard Wallace, 1st Baronet, English art collector
- Richetta Randolph Wallace, American administrator and campaigner
- Sanford Wallace, self-proclaimed "Spam King"
- Staker Wallace, Irish freedom fighter
- William Wallace, Scottish leader in the 1st Wars of Scottish Independence
- William Wallace , Scottish master mason and architect
- William A. A. Wallace, Texas Ranger captain with the nickname "Bigfoot"
- William Herbert Wallace, English convicted 'murderer', later found to be innocent on appeal
- William Kelly Wallace, Irish railway engineer
- William Wallace Lincoln, son of Abraham Lincoln
- Terry Alonzo Wallace, Jr., just a random fella