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Irish surname

Wall: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

de Bál · Norman 'du Val', i.e. of the vale, or valley, from residence therein

Woulfe (1923) gives Wall as a form of de Bál, a Norman name 'du Val', meaning of the vale or valley, from residence therein. He says the surname dates back at least to the 13th century and is found in many parts of Ireland. In 1890, 58 Wall birth entries were registered in Ireland.

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Coat of arms associated with the Wall surname
Irish formde Bál
MeaningNorman 'du Val', i.e. of the vale, or valley, from residence therein
CountiesLimerick, Galway, Waterford, Dublin
Other spellings5
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Wall crest gifts

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Origin of the Wall name

Woulfe: Norman 'du Val' (of the vale, from residence therein); the name 'dates back at least to the 13th century'. In Galway the Walls 'appear to have formed a distinct clan after the Irish fashion, with a chief of the name'.[1]

  1. 1335John de Vale and Walter de Vale summoned to attend Sir John D'Arcy on his expedition to Scotland.[1]
  2. 1360Stephen de Wale becomes Bishop of Limerick; later translated to Meath and made Lord High Treasurer of Ireland.[1]
  3. 1379Four Masters, as quoted by Woulfe: 'The Bishop of Meath, i.e., an Fáltach, died in England'.[2]
  4. 1580Ulick de Wale of Dunmoylan, blind from birth, put to death by Pelham and his lands confiscated (Woulfe).[1]
  5. 189058 Wall birth entries in Ireland: Leinster 31, Munster 26, Connaught 1.[3]

Where in Ireland

Co. LimerickWalls held the manor of Dunmoylan from the 13th century down to 1580 (Woulfe).[1]
Co. GalwayWoulfe: Walls appear to have formed a distinct clan there, with a chief of the name.[1]
Co. WaterfordRichard Wall, Spanish minister, was 'of a County of Waterford family' (Webb); a county named by Matheson 1890.[4][3]
Co. DublinFirst of the counties Matheson names for the Walls in 1890.[3]

Notable people named Wall

Richard Wallborn c. 1693 (reputed)Spanish diplomatist and general, reputed born in Ireland; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain from 1754 (Webb).[4]

Other spellings

de Val · de Vale · de Vaal · de Wale · Faltagh (Fáltach)[1]

The Wall coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Wall surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Wall surname: questions

What does the surname Wall mean?

Woulfe gives Wall as a form of de Bál, Norman 'du Val', meaning of the vale, or valley, from residence therein.[1]

Is Wall an Irish or a Norman name?

Woulfe calls it Norman and says it dates back at least to the 13th century in Ireland. He adds that in Galway the Walls appear to have formed a distinct clan after the Irish fashion, with a chief of the name.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Wall name found?

Woulfe says the Walls were numerous in the 16th century in Kildare, Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Cork, Limerick and Galway. Matheson names Dublin, Waterford, Cork, Kilkenny, Limerick and Tipperary for 1890.[1][3]

What is the Irish form of Wall?

Woulfe gives de Bál, and also Fáltach as its adjectival form.[1][2]

Sources

  1. de Bál — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/d/de-bal.php
  2. Fáltach — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/f/faltach.php
  3. Wall — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/wall.php
  4. Wall, Richard — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/RichardWall.php

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).