Clan Wallace
For liberty — the patriot's family.
Motto
Pro Libertate
— For liberty
What does the Wallace name mean?
From Old French 'Waleis' — 'Welshman' or, in Scottish context, a Briton of Strathclyde. The first recorded use is Richard Walensis in 1160.
The history of Clan Wallace
The Wallaces originate from Strathclyde, near Glasgow, with members traceable across Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. Like other Lowland families, they adopted a surname in the new Norman fashion. The first recorded use is by Richard Walensis on a land charter in 1160.
The family's most famous son is, of course, Sir William Wallace — 'the Hero of Scotland' — born at Elderslie around 1270. In 1297 he led the Scottish patriotic forces against Edward I of England, won the Battle of Stirling Bridge, and drove the English garrisons out of Scotland.
Defeated at Falkirk in 1298, Wallace kept up a guerrilla war until his capture by treachery in 1305 and brutal execution in London. His name has stood for Scottish liberty ever since.
Notable bearers of the Wallace name
- Sir William Wallace