where did the last name wallace come from
a Scottish surname
title: Wallace (surname) text: Wallace (surname) Wallace is a Scottish surname derived from the Anglo-Norman French "waleis", which is in turn derived from a cognate of the Old English "wylisc" (pronounced "wullish") 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 Brythonic language distinct from Scottish Gaelic and the English derived from Lothian. In modern title: Wallace (surname) text: times, in the 19th and 20th centuries, the surname has been used as an Americanization of numerous Ashkenazic Jewish surnames. Wallace (surname) Wallace is a Scottish surname derived from the Anglo-Norman French "waleis", which is in turn derived from a cognate of the Old English "wylisc" (pronounced "wullish") 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 title: William Wallace text: seal has given rise to a counter claim of Ellerslie in Ayrshire. There is no contemporary evidence linking him with either location, although both areas had connections with the wider Wallace family. Records show early members of the family as holding estates at Riccarton, Tarbolton, and Auchincruive in Kyle, and Stenton in East Lothian. They were vassals of James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland as their lands fell within his territory. Wallace's brothers Malcolm and John are known from other sources. The origins of the Wallace surname and its association with southwest Scotland are also far from certain, other title: William Wallace text: than the name's being derived from the Old English "wylisc" (pronounced "wullish"), meaning "foreigner" or "Welshman". It is possible that all the Wallaces in the Clyde area were medieval immigrants from Wales, but as the term was also used for local Cumbric-speaking Strathclyde Welsh, it seems equally likely that the surname refers to people who were seen as being "Welsh" due to their Cumbric language. When Wallace was growing up, King Alexander III ruled Scotland. His reign had seen a period of peace and economic stability. On 19 March 1286, however, Alexander died after falling from his horse. The heir title: Clan Wallace text: was Richard Wallace from Oswestry who came north to try to improve his fortunes. Oswestry is on the Welsh border so it is possible that the name Wallace may be a corruption of Le Waleis meaning the "Welshman". However, while it is possible that the Wallaces were originally Britons from Wales, who came north with David I of Scotland in the eleventh century, another theory is that they were Britons who had settled in Strathclyde in the tenth century. The Steward received from King David lands in Ayrshire and so it was here that his follower Richard Wallace settled. Richard