Clan Wallace has its origins way back in the mists of time. The name "Wallace" is referring to a Welshman (in other words a native Briton). The name comes from Walenis which was used to describe the native Briton by the English speaking people in Scotland, England and Wales. It possible has its origins way back in time to the Volcae, a Celtic tribe from Gaul (France). The names Wallis, Welsh and Valance also have the same origins. The name Wallace is common in the area of Scotland around Ayr, it appears in a number of manuscripts dating from the 12th and 13th Centuries (with different spellings). A number of Norman's from the Welsh March area came to Scotland in the time of David I. Noted among them are the Stewards. Clan Wallace held land for the Stewards. It is, therefore, possible that Clan Wallace had its origins in Wales or the Welsh March. However, it is more likely that Clan Wallace has it origins in the Welsh people who settled in Strathclyde area of Scotland (Ayr is in Strathclyde). Strathclyde was one of the 4 British kingdoms to be formed after the English moved into England from Germany in the 5th and 6th Centuries AD pushing the native British people westwards.
The native Britons (Welsh) are a group of Celts. The Celts were a iron age civilisation that encompassed most of central Europe and part of Turkey.
The first definite name that can befound in the records is that of Ricardus Walensis (Richard the Welshman) who held lands for Walter the Steward in Kyle near Ayr. He signed a charter some time before 1174 . He is also believed to be the great grandfather of Sir Malcom Wallace (the father of Sir William Wallace, Scotland's greatest patriot). The town of Riccarton is named after him.
Other Wallaces that appear in manuscripts from the middle ages include John Wallace of Elderslie who sealed a resignation of lands to the monks of Paisley in 1409. Adam de Waleys (Adam Wallace - from whom the Wallaces of Cragie are descended from) appears on the list of nobles that pledged allegiance to Edward I.
There was also people with the name Wallace from Renfrewshire. There is no connection between these and Clan Wallace as descended from Richard the Welshman. The last of the Renfrewshire line was Helen Wallace. She married Archibald Campbell and then sold her estate, which was called Elderslie. It was so called because her family believed that they where related to Sir William Wallace.
Clan Wallace is split into 6 families, which are : Wallace of Riccarton (which is the main family branch) , Wallace of Kelly, Wallace of Cairnhill, Wallace of Cessnock, Wallace of Cragie and Wallace of Elerslie (or Elderslie) (which is the family that Sir William Wallace came from). These families are descended from Richard the Welshman.
During the middle ages the Wallace family of Elderslie married in to other aristocratic families such as the Craufurds and the Boyds. Members of Clan Wallace served as knights and, therefore, the Clan is on the lowest level of the aristocracy. In 1669 Hugh Wallace of Cragie was created Baron of Nova Scotia. The Second Baron was the Rev. William Wallace who became Lord Justice Clerk, the second-highest judge in Scotland. After the death of the 5th baron, Sir Thomas Wallace, the title passed, via his daughter who married John Dunlop of Dunlop in 1760, to his great grand son Sir John Dunlop who changed his name to Wallace. The chiefly line passed to the Wallaces of Cairnhill (who lived in Jamaica for a number of generations). The current chief is Ian Frances Wallace of that ilk who is the 35th Chief of Clan Wallace. There are no steps to the Clan (which is the current chiefs decision).
Source : William Wallace - Brave Heart by James Mackey ISBN 1-85158-823-x , Clan Wallace Society (World Wide) web page, Sir William Wallace web page and Lady Nancy MacCorkill"s Wallace web page
The Clan's coat of arms is : red with a silver lion rampant, armed in blue with a double checked boarder of blue and silver. The arms belong to Ian Frances Wallace who is the 35th Chief of Clan Wallace. The motto is Pro Libertate which means For Freedom which is very appropriate given the life of Sir William Wallace, Scotland greatest patriot.
I have always be interested in flags so I have designed a Wallace flag. The flag is free to used (for non commercial purpose) by anybody who is connected to Clan Wallace (that is use not misuse) if anybody is interested.
Page and artwork copywrite Andrew Wallace 1997-1998
