This interesting surname has two origins. Firstly, it is of Anglo-Saxon origin, being a name for a Celt, from the Middle English "walsche", a development of the Olde English pre 7th Century "waelisc" meaning foreigner. Secondly, it is of Irish origin, being a translation of the Gaelic name "Breathnach" meaning British, Welsh. The surname dates back to the late 12th Century (see below). Further recordings include: Rose la Walesche (1277) in the Assize Court Rolls of Somerset; John le Walsche (1327) in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk; and John Walshe was juror on an inquest held at Roxburgh (1360) in the Calendar of Documents relating to Scotland.
Church Records show the christening of John Walshe on June 27th 1540, at St. Stephan's, Coleman Street, London, and the christening of Pierce, son of Tady and Elizabeth Walsh, on March 13th 1662, at St. Michan's, Dublin. Among the famous namebearers are the Rt. Rev. Nicholas Walsh of Waterford (died 1585), who is remembered as the man who introduced Irish type to the native printing press, and James Walsh, of Ballynacooly in Kilkenny, who commanded the ship which brought James 11 to France after the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Haylen Walsh, which was dated 1170, son of "Philip the Welshman" in the "Ancient Records of Ireland", during the reign of Rory O'Connor, "Last Native High King of Ireland", 1166 - 1175. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname walshe is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation. We can try to trace the genealogy of the surname walshe, and in addition to the original locations of walshe, we can find out where people with the surname walshe can currently be found. Adhering to what we know about the way surnames originated, it is possible to offer a realistic explanation of the origins of walshe.
The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname walshe provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations. The mobility of people carrying the surname walshe has led to its presence in different countries, as you can verify.
For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname walshe, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of walshe developed. The history, heraldry, coats of arms, and possible nobility of the surname walshe are scattered in documents across various regions and historical periods, so it is necessary to reconstruct a complex puzzle to approach the facts from a realistic perspective. In the following lines, you will find everything we have been able to gather about the surname walshe.
We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about walshe and send it to us, we will update it on this website. Please note that if you are in a position to provide more data about the surname walshe or any other surname and its origin, we would appreciate your collaboration with us by sending us information about the origin of walshe.
Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname walshe were recorded by the chroniclers of the time. A surname like walshe can connect a person to an illustrious lineage and a distinguished coat of arms. However, it must be kept in mind that it is individual people who, through their lives and actions, bring fame and recognition to their surnames. If you or someone you know bears the surname walshe, you could potentially build illustrious lineages through your efforts and virtues. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname walshe who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.
The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of walshe are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation. We consider it highly advisable to refer to the following sources if you wish to conduct research on the surname walshe, as well as many other surnames. Accessing the archives of the town or towns where your ancestors were born and lived is, of course, a good way to trace the origins of walshe.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of walshe, and at the same time, of surnames in general.