Galway Surname

129,346th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 3,499 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
Canada
Highest density in:
Northern Ireland

Galway Surname Definition:

This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'from Galloway,' the south-eastern portion of Scotland. Crossing the border the name is soon found in Northumberland, thence it came into Yorkshire. In Lancashire and the West Riding the name is now very familiar.

Read More About This Surname

Galway Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Canada8121:45,3765,591
United States5821:622,78250,324
Tanzania4641:114,09810,974
Australia4341:62,2027,507
England3691:150,99714,419
Northern Ireland3091:5,9711,086
Ireland2231:21,1162,149
New Zealand831:54,5588,669
Israel761:112,60012,624
Scotland391:137,2778,372
South Africa331:1,641,74981,435
Switzerland121:684,41046,196
Spain81:5,844,00486,878
Jersey71:14,1722,872
Wales61:515,75523,171
Cayman Islands61:10,6491,253
Argentina51:8,548,683204,003
India41:191,766,3461,073,940
Thailand41:17,659,586685,799
Sweden41:2,461,689157,534
Poland21:19,004,374199,659
Czechia21:5,316,734169,646
Norway21:2,571,14395,402
Hong Kong21:3,667,74211,574
Germany21:40,252,730481,636
France21:33,211,361423,184
Libya11:6,243,9746,186
Liberia11:4,408,53547,110
Kuwait11:3,800,69427,187
Jamaica11:2,869,94713,896
Italy11:61,156,688199,583
Iran11:76,782,524277,718
Afghanistan11:32,153,18360,828
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland4801:9,2291,357
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
England1351:180,55814,908
Scotland71:534,74514,325
Wales31:522,80514,314
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States3161:158,92014,556

Galway (38) may also be a first name.

Galway Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'from Galloway,' the south-eastern portion of Scotland. Crossing the border the name is soon found in Northumberland, thence it came into Yorkshire. In Lancashire and the West Riding the name is now very familiar. The early forms seem to have included Gallowaie, Galaway, Galeway, Galewey, and Galway.

Alan de Galeweya, Yorkshire and Oxfordshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Robert Galewey, Oxfordshire, ibid.

Adam de Gallowaie, 1306, bailiff of Newcastle: History Newcastle and Gateshead (List of Bailiffs).

Adam Galewey, 1326: ibid.

Richard Galloway, 1343, mayor of Newcastle: ibid.

Robertus de Galway, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Johannes de Galway, 1379: ibid.

John de Galeway, 1378. rector of Meldon: Hodgson's Northumberland.

Richard Galway, 1367: ibid.

Thomas Galway, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1896) by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

From the district of the name. Persons bearing this name ere early found in other parts of Scotland, a family of the name settled in Dumbartonshire early in the sixteenth century, and others of the name appear early on the East Coast. Thomas de Galwethia, earl of Atholl, made a gift of lands to the Abbey of Neubotle c. 1230 (Neubotle, 27), and Michael de Galewath was a witness about the same time (LAC, 73). John Galway was master of a ship belonging to Sir John of Montgomery in 1405 (Bain, IV, 697). Gilbert of Galoway was 'familiar' of the abbot of Couper, 1475 (Cupar-Angus, I, p. 202), and Jhone of Galloway, tenant of art of Kethik, 1495 (ibid., p. 247). Sande Galowey was guilty of 'twllye' (disturbance) in Lanark, 1488 (Lanark, p. 2), and Henry Galloway filius quondam William Galloway of West Weems (or West Mains) is mentioned in 1541 (Dysart, p. 7). Pattoun Gallowey had a tack of two acres in Carsegrange, 1550 (Cupar-Angus, II, p. 121). John Galloway in Kilmaronok was sued for contempt and deforcement, 1597 (RPC., V, p. 436), and another Galloway, also in Kilmaronok, followed the Macfarlanes in their deadly feud with the Buchanans, 1619 (ibid., XI, p. 554). Caution was found for Robert Galloway in Tullibodie, 1594 (ibid., V, p. 165), Neill Gallouay in Wodstoune was a retainer of the earl of Cassills in Carrick, 1635 (ibid., 2. ser. V, p. 507), William Galloway, shoemaker, was admitted burgess of Aberdeen, 1606 (NSCM., I, p. 103), and Andro Gralloway was burgess of Pittinwerne, 1654 (Inputs., 3974). Galloay 1506, Gallway 1497, Grllowaye 1485.

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

(Celtic) 1 for Galloway, q.v.

2 One from Galway.

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

The Tribes of: Athy, Blake, Bodkin, Browne, Darcy, Deane, Fant, French, Joyce, Kirwan, Lynch, Martin, Morris, Skerrett

A Guide to Irish Names (1964) by Edward MacLysaght

An extensive district forming the S.W. corner of Scotland. The surname is written in the H.R., Galaway and Galewey.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

Galway Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Galway Come From? nationality or country of origin

Galway (Arabic: غلوي) is borne by more people in Canada than any other country or territory. It may appear as:. Click here to see other possible spellings of this last name.

How Common Is The Last Name Galway? popularity and diffusion

Galway is the 129,346th most frequently held family name globally, borne by around 1 in 2,082,751 people. This last name occurs predominantly in The Americas, where 37 percent of Galway reside; 37 percent reside in North America and 37 percent reside in Anglo-North America. Galway is also the 1,662,754th most numerous given name world-wide, held by 38 people.

The last name is most prevalent in Canada, where it is held by 812 people, or 1 in 45,376. In Canada Galway is mostly found in: Ontario, where 49 percent reside, Newfoundland and Labrador, where 26 percent reside and Alberta, where 11 percent reside. Not including Canada Galway occurs in 32 countries. It is also common in The United States, where 17 percent reside and Tanzania, where 13 percent reside.

Galway Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The incidence of Galway has changed through the years. In The United States the number of people carrying the Galway surname expanded 184 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it expanded 273 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Ireland it decreased 54 percent between 1901 and 2014; in Scotland it expanded 557 percent between 1881 and 2014 and in Wales it expanded 200 percent between 1881 and 2014.

Galway Last Name Statistics demography

The religious devotion of those bearing the surname is primarily Presbyterian (36%) in Ireland.

In The United States Galway are 2.41% more likely to be registered with the Democratic Party than The US average, with 50.82% being registered with the party.

The amount Galway earn in different countries varies notably. In South Africa they earn 11.08% less than the national average, earning R 211,308 per year; in United States they earn 9.6% more than the national average, earning $47,292 USD per year and in Canada they earn 12.8% more than the national average, earning $56,042 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Gallway92203/
Gaulway927/
Galwa91219/
Galwayat8690/
Ngalwaya861/
Galwey83268/
Galbay83132/
Golway83128/
Gallwa8316/
Galwaa8311/
Ghalwa836/
Galvay835/
Galwaś831/
Gaalwa831/
Galwad831/
Galuay830/
Gallwey77489/
Gailwad7729/
Ng'alwa777/
Galwaha774/
Ngalw'a774/
Ghalwat774/
Gaulwad774/
Galwaji774/
Gallwoy772/
Galwasz771/
Ngalwey771/
Gajlwad771/
Gahlwat771/
Gaylbay771/
Gollway770/
Galva734,135/
Galba73977/
Galua73374/
Galby73345/
Golwa73232/
Galwe7336/
Galvy7314/
Ghalwash715,106/
Gaylewai712/
Ngaluayi711/
Gahalwat711/
Gatlewad711/
Ghalwath711/
Galvas67496/
Galvey67292/
Golwad67165/
Galbau67154/
Galbha67120/
Galbaa67103/
Galbey6785/
Galboy6784/
Golbay6768/
Ngalua6759/
Galvea6736/
Galbai6730/
Golwai6729/
Gailwe6728/
Galwed6727/
Galvaz6719/
Golwas6719/
Gohlwa6715/
Galvad6712/
Ghalba6711/
Galvau6710/
Ghalbhayi677/
Gallwé677/
Gallby675/
Galuat675/
Galvae675/
Galvoa675/
Gaalwe674/
Goolwa673/
Ghalwe673/
Galvai673/
Gaylua672/
Galvaj672/
Galiua672/
Gallua672/
Gaulua671/
Gholwa671/
Gailba671/
Gelvay671/
Golwiy671/
Ggolwa671/
Galbah671/
Galhua671/
Gallwe671/
Galvaa671/
Galuad671/
Ghalva671/
Gayleweah671/
Golwey671/
Golwat671/
Ghatelwad671/
Galvys671/
Galuah671/
Gaulba670/
Galvat670/
Galhuayes670/

Galway Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
Galway in the Arabic language
غلويghlwy-
غلوىghlwy-

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Galway
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis