Surname LE GALLE - Meaning and Origin
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LE GALLE: What does the surname LE GALLE mean?
The last name Le Galle is a French surname of local origin. It is thought to be an occupational surname, deriving from the word gauler, which means 'to prune and lop trees'. As such, the name likely indicates that its original bearers were Galles, or woodcutters.
Le Galle is most commonly found in Normandy and in the coastal parts of Brittany, where it is thought to have originated. It is also found in western parts of France, particularly in the departments of Loire-Atlantique and Maine-et-Loire.
Since the original bearers of the name were employed in a skilled trade, it may indicate that their families had lived in the area for an extended period of time; certain parts of Normandy had been settled since pre-Roman times.
The name is also found in some other parts of the world. For example, due to emigration, it is known to have been borne by some families in England and the United States of America.
It is now a relatively rare surname in contemporary France, and remains comparatively less common in other countries. The variations of the surname include Le Gall, Galle, and Gall.
Order DNA origin analysisLE GALLE: Where does the name LE GALLE come from?
The last name LE GALLE is most commonly found today in the region of Brittany in France. The origins of the name are said to date back to the 12th century and it is believed to be derived from the Breton words for ‘warrior’ and ‘sword’. Therefore, one could assume that the original bearer of the name was a knight or soldier.
The region of Brittany in France is still one of the main areas where the last name LE GALLE is most commonly found today. Across the entirety of France, the name LE GALLE is much less common, with statistical data showing that it only makes up 0.001% of the nation's population.
Another area where the LE GALLE name can be found is in parts of North America. Records suggest that several people bearing the LE GALLE name migrated to the United States during the 19th century. Most of these immigrants preferred to settle in the northern regions of the United States, such as New England.
Traditionally, the individuals with the last name LE GALLE have been associated with areas of knowledge like science, literature, and commerce. Therefore, the current descendants of the LE GALLE surname are found in many professional and intellectual fields.
The geographic dispersal of the LE GALLE surname continues to be strongest in France, however the name can still be found in parts of North America, and the reunions of some of the LE GALLE descendants that span both sides of the Atlantic have been reported in recent years.
Variations of the surname LE GALLE
The surname LE GALLE has a few variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.
Variants:
- Le Galle
- Galle
- Gales
- Galls
- Galas
- Gallew
- Galles
The common spellings of this surname are Le Gall and Le Galles. It is also occasionally found in its original French form as Le Galle.
Surnames of the same origin include Gallagher, Gallo, Galloway, Gallegher, Gallegos, Galleguillos, and Gallet.
Le Galle is a French, Spanish, and Portuguese surname of Norman origin, derived from the Old French "gael," meaning "a foreigner, stranger, or pilgrim." Consequently, the name likely originated as a nickname for a traveler. It may also refer to a person from the southern French city of le Galle, a contraction of “Saint-Gilles.” This city was named for Saint Gilles, the 7th century bishop of Nìmes who founded the famous abbey of Saint-Gilles du Gard.
The surname dates back to the early 1600s, when records show it was primarily found in Northern France. Over time, the surname spread to Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands. Immigrants bearing the name Le Galle were among the earliest settlers in the United States, arriving in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Today, Le Galle is a common surname in both France and the United States, as well as in other countries where its variants have appeared. It is common in both its original French version and in its varied spellings and derivatives, including Galle and Gallagher.
Famous people with the name LE GALLE
- Juliette Le Gallienne: a notable English stage actress, producer and manager for many of her own theatrical productions.
- Alexandre Le Gall: a French philosopher and psychologist best known for his studies in the area of philosophy and social realism.
- Léon Le Gall: a French engineer who spent many years in colonial Indochina, best known for his engineering feats in Hanoi.
- Paul Le Gall: a French geographer and professor at the Universities of Rouen and Le Havre, best known for his research in urban geography and regional planning.
- Jean-Paul Le Gall: a French political scientist and author, best known for his studies of the international system and his analysis of the nature of international conflict.
- Jacques Le Gall: a French aristocrat, count and general of the French army, best known for his service in the Napoleonic wars.
- Jacques Louis Le Gall: a French author and politician, best known for pioneering the study of the French Revolution and its various aspects.
- Pierre Le Gall: a French surgeon and novelist, best known for novels about the Revolutionary period of France.
- Louis-Joseph Le Gall: a French-Canadian composer, best known for his works of vocal music and choral works.
- Henri-Paul Le Gall: a French sculptor and architectural draftsman, best known for his bronze sculptures.