Wallace is a Scottish surname stemmed from the Anglo-Norman French Waleis "Welshman". It is a northern variant form of Gualeis "Welshman" (Wace, Brut, éd. I. Arnold, 13927); adjectiv gualeis "Welsh" (Id., ibid., 14745); same as walois "the oil language" (J. Bretel, Tournoi de Chauvency, éd. M. Delbouille, 63).^[1]

It originates from Old Low Franconian *Walhisk meaning "foreigner", "Celt", "Roman" which is a cognate of Old English wylisċ (pronounced "wullish") meaning "foreigner" or "Welshman"^[2] (see also Wallach and Walhaz). The original surname may have denoted someone from the former Kingdom of Strathclyde who spoke Cumbric, a close relative of the Welsh language, or possibly an incomer from Wales, or the Welsh Marches. The Kingdom of Strathclyde was originally a part of the Hen Ogledd, its people speaking a Brittonic language distinct from Scottish Gaelic and the Scots language derived from Lothian.^{[citation needed]}

Variations of the name include Walla, Wallais, Wallice, Wallang, Wallass, Wallayis, Wallays, Walleis, Wallensis, Walles, Valance, Valensis, Valeyns, Vallace, Vallance, and Valles.^[3]

• Alexander Doniphan Wallace (1905–1985) American mathematician
• Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913), British naturalist and biologist
• Andrew H. Wallace (1926–2008), Scottish-American mathematician
• Bruce Wallace (geneticist)
• Carden Wallace, Australian marine biologist
• Carolynn Reid-Wallace (born 1942), American academic administrator
• Catherine C. "Cath" Wallace (born 1952), New Zealand environmentalist and academic
• Chris Wallace (computer scientist) (1933–2004), Australian computer scientist and physicist, developer of Minimum Message Length
• David R. Wallace (1942–2012), American software engineer and inventor
• David Rains Wallace (born 1945), author on conservation and natural history
• David Wallace (physicist) (born 1945), British physicist and Master of Churchill College, Cambridge
• David Wallace (medievalist), British scholar of medieval literature
• Dorothy Wallace, American mathematician
• Douglas C. Wallace (born 1946), American geneticist and evolutionary biologist
• Frank R. Wallace (1932–2006), author and philosopher
• Ian Wallace (ornithologist) (1933–2021), British ornithologist and natural history author
• John Higgins Wallace Jr. (1906–1989), American chemist
• John L. Wallace (born 1956), Canadian medical scientist
• J. M. Wallace-Hadrill (1916–1985), British academic and historian
• John Michael Wallace (born 1940), American atmospheric scientist
• Mike Wallace (historian) (born 1942), American historian
• Perry Wallace (1948–2017), American law professor and first African American athlete to play a complete college career in the Southeastern Conference
• Raymond L. Wallace (1918–2002), American Bigfoot researcher
• Richard Wallace (scientist), artificial intelligence researcher
• Robert Charles Wallace (1881–1955), Scottish-born Canadian geologist, educator, and administrator
• William Wallace (philosopher) (1844–1897), Scottish philosopher
• William Wallace (mathematician) (1768–1843), Scottish mathematician
• William Wallace, Baron Wallace of Saltaire (born 1941), British academic, writer and politician
• William A. Wallace (organizational theorist) (born 1935), Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• William E. Wallace (1917–2004), physical chemist

• Christopher Wallace (British Army officer) (1943–2016), retired British Army general and trustee of the Imperial War Museum
• Colin Wallace (born 1943), British soldier and psychological warfare operative
• George W. Wallace (1872–1946), American soldier
• Hazel Wallace (1897–1976), Canadian World War I flying ace
• Herman C. Wallace (1924–1945), American soldier
• James Wallace (Royal Navy officer) (1731–1803), Royal Navy officer
• Lew Wallace (1827–1905), American Civil War general and author
• Martin Wallace (soldier) (born 1969), Australian SASR soldier
• Martin R. M. Wallace (1829–1902), American Union brevet brigadier general
• Robert Wallace (British Army officer) (1860–1929), Irish lawyer, soldier and politician
• Samuel Thomas Dickson Wallace (1892–1968), Scottish soldier
• W. H. L. Wallace (1821–1862), Union general in the American Civil War
• William Wallace (died 1305), Scottish landowner, one of the main leaders during the wars of Scottish Independence
• William Henry Wallace (1827–1901), Confederate general and South Carolina state legislator
• William Miller Wallace (1844–1924), U.S. Army general

• John Wallace (New Zealand judge) (1934–2012), chairman of the Royal Commission on the Electoral System, 1986
• John Clifford Wallace (born 1928), United States federal judge
• John E. Wallace Jr. (born 1942), former New Jersey Supreme Court justice
• John William Wallace (1815–1884), American lawyer
• Michael Wallace (lawyer) (born 1951), U.S. lawyer
• William James Wallace (1837–1917), lawyer and federal judge in the United States
• William Robert Wallace (1886–1960), American judge
• William T. Wallace (1828–1909), Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California and an Attorney General of California

• Amy Wallace (1955-2013), American writer
• Andree Wallace, American actress
• André Wallace (born 1947), English sculptor
• Andy Wallace (producer) (born 1947), American music studio engineer
• Anne Wallace (born 1970), Australian painter
• Barbara Brooks Wallace (1922-2018), American children's writer
• Benjamin Wallace (writer), American author and magazine writer
• Beryl Wallace (1912-1948), American singer, dancer, and actress
• Bill Wallace (author) (1947–2012), American author
• Bronwen Wallace (1945–1989), Canadian poet and short story writer
• Chris Wallace (born 1947), American newscaster at ABC, NBC, and Fox News
• Chris Wallace-Crabbe (born 1934), Australian poet
• Christine Wallace (born 1960), Australian journalist and author
• Claire Wallace (broadcaster) (1900 or 1906–1968), Canadian journalist and broadcaster
• Daniel Wallace (author) (born 1959), American author
• Danny Wallace (humourist) (born 1976), British comedian, author and presenter
• David Wallace (American actor) (born 1958), American actor
• David Foster Wallace (1962–2008), American novelist
• Dee Wallace (born 1948), American actress
• DeWitt Wallace (1889–1981), American co-founder of Reader's Digest magazine
• Donald Mackenzie Wallace (1841–1919), British public servant, journalist and author
• Dougie Wallace, Scots photographer
• Edgar Wallace (1875–1932), British crime writer
• George Wallace (American comedian) (born 1952), American comedian
• Ginger Wallace (1924–2010), American artist
• Ian Wallace (author) (1912–1998), American science fiction author
• Ian Wallace (artist) (born 1943), pioneer of Vancouver's conceptual art movement
• Ian Wallace (illustrator), Canadia illustrator of children's books
• Ian Wallace (photographer) (born 1972), Tasmanian landscape photographer
• Irving Wallace (1916–1990), American author and screenwriter
• Jean Wallace (1923–1990), American actress
• Jessie Wallace (born 1971), English actress
• John Graham Wallace (born 1966), English author of children's books
• Kathleen Kemarre Wallace (born 1948), Australian Aboriginal artist
• Kathryn Ann Wallace (born 1975), American television and film journalist
• Kevin Wallace (born 1957), Irish theatrical producer
• Lila Bell Wallace (1889–1984), American co-founder of Reader's Digest magazine
• Louise Wallace (born 1959), New Zealand television presenter, actress and director
• Louise Wallace (writer) (born 1983), New Zealand poet
• Marcia Wallace (1942–2013), American actress
• Marjorie Wallace (born 1954), American model, actress and presenter
• Mike Wallace (1918–2012), American television correspondent
• Morgan Wallace (1881-1953), American actor
• Naomi Wallace (born 1960), American playwright, screenwriter and poet
• Nick Wallace (born 1972), British author
• Nicolle Wallace (born 1972), American television host, author, and former political figure
• Pierce Wallace (born 1995), American sports fan and television personality
• Randall Wallace (born 1949), American writer and film director
• Richard Wallace (director) (1894–1951), American film director
• Richard Wallace (journalist) (born 1961), British newspaper editor
• Rowena Wallace (born 1947), English-born Australian actress
• Tommy Lee Wallace (born 1949), American film producer, director and screenwriter
• William O. Wallace (1906-1968), American Hollywood set decorator
• William Ross Wallace (1819–1881), American poet

• Aria Wallace (born 1996), American actress and singer
• Beryl Wallace (1912–1948), American singer, dancer and actress
• Bill Wallace (musician) (born 1949), Canadian rock-and-roll musician
• Chris Wallace (musician) (born 1985), lead vocalist for The White Tie Affair
• Christopher George Latore Wallace (1972–1997), American rap artist The Notorious B.I.G.
• Emmett "Babe" Wallace (1909–2006), American composer, singer, actor
• Frank Wallace (piper) (fl. late 1800s), Irish musician
• Ian Wallace (drummer) (1946–2007), drummer with King Crimson, Bob Dylan, and many others
• Ian Wallace (singer) (1919–2009), singer and contestant on My Music
• Jerry Wallace (1928–2008), American country and pop singer
• John Wallace (musician) (fl. 1971– present), American bassist and singer
• John Bruce Wallace, American musician and artist
• Michael Wallace (piper) (fl. late 1800s), Irish musician
• Simon Wallace (born 1957), British composer and pianist
• Sippie Wallace (1898–1986), American singer-songwriter
• Stewart Wallace (born 1960), American composer
• Terry Wallace Jr. (born 1994), American rapper Tee Grizzley
• Wesley Wallace dates unknown), American blues and boogie-woogie pianist
• William Wallace (Scottish composer) (1860–1940), Scottish composer
• William Vincent Wallace (1812–1865), Irish composer

• Ben Wallace (politician) (born 1970), British Conservative politician
• Bob Wallace (computer scientist) (1949–2002), American software developer & programmer
• Carleton Lyman Wallace (1866-1919), American lawyer and Minnesota state legislator
• Dan Wallace (politician) (born 1942), Irish Fianna Fáil politician
• David Wallace (Indiana politician) (1799–1859), 6th Governor of Indiana
• David G. Wallace, American businessman and politician, mayor of Sugar Land, Texas
• David Wardrope Wallace (1850–1924), Canadian MP for Russell, 1903–1904
• Elizabeth Virginia Wallace (1885–1982), birth name of Bess Truman, wife of U.S. President Harry S. Truman
• Euan Wallace (1892–1941), British Conservative politician
• G. Frank Wallace (1887–1964), New York state senator
• Georg Wallace (1804-1890), Norwegian politician.
• George Wallace (1919–1998), 45th Governor of Alabama
• George Wallace Jr. (born 1951), American politician
• Henry A. Wallace (1888–1965), 33rd Vice President of the United States
• Henry Cantwell Wallace (1866–1924), American farmer, journalist and political activist
• I. T. A. Wallace-Johnson (1894–1965), Sierra Leonean journalist, activist and politician
• Jim Wallace, Baron Wallace of Tankerness (born 1954), British politician and former Deputy First Minister of Scotland
• John Wallace (Australian politician) (1828–1901), Australian politician
• John Wallace (Canadian politician) (1812–1896), New Brunswick farmer and member of the Canadian House of Commons
• John Wallace (English politician) (1840-1910), English politician
• John Wallace (Florida politician) (1842–1908), Florida Republican politician
• John Wallace (Scottish politician) (1868–1949), Member of Parliament for Dumfermline Burghs
• John Alexander Wallace (1881–1961), Canadian politician
• John D. Wallace (born 1949), Canadian politician
• John Winfield Wallace (1818–1889), US Congressman from Pennsylvania
• Jonathan H. Wallace (1824–1892), United States Congressman
• Lurleen Wallace (1926–1968), 46th Governor of Alabama
• Marjorie Wallace (SANE) (born 1945), British writer, broadcaster, investigative journalist, charity executive
• Mark Wallace (born 1967), American businessman, former diplomat, and lawyer
• Martin Kelso Wallace (1898–1978), Irish Lord Mayor of Belfast
• Mary Wallace (born 1959), Irish Fianna Fáil politician
• Maynard Wallace (1943-2021), American politician
• Michael Wallace (politician) (died 1831), Scottish-born merchant, judge and political figure in Nova Scotia
• Mick Wallace (born 1955), Irish politician, football manager and property developer
• Mike Wallace (politician) (born 1963), Canadian politician
• Peggy Wallace (1943-2020), American politician
• Robert Wallace (Canadian politician) (1820–?), Canadian Member of Parliament
• Robert Wallace (Edinburgh MP) (1831–1899), British Member of Parliament for Edinburgh East, 1886–1899
• Robert Wallace (MP for Greenock) (1773–1855), Scottish politician, MP for Greenock, 1832–1845
• Robert Wallace (MP for Perth) (1850–1939), Irish-born politician, MP for Perth, 1895–1907
• Robert B. Wallace (c. 1869–1928), American politician
• Robert M. Wallace (1856–1942), United States Representative from Arkansas
• William Wallace (Canadian politician) (1820–1887), Scottish-born merchant and politician in Ontario
• William A. Wallace (1827–1896), U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania
• William C. Wallace (1856–1901), U.S. Representative from New York
• William H. Wallace (1811–1879), first territorial governor and Congressional delegate from Idaho Territory
• William J. Wallace (Indianapolis mayor), 7th Mayor of Indianapolis, Indiana

• Brian Wallace (born 1962), American Anglican suffragan bishop
• Duncan Wallace (1938-2015), Canadian Anglican Bishop of Qu'Appelle
• Foy E. Wallace (1896–1979), American Churches of Christ minister
• John Wallace (bishop) (1654–1733), Scottish Roman Catholic prelate
• Martin Wallace (bishop) (born 1948), English Anglican Bishop of Selby
• Robert Wallace (minister) (1697–1771), minister of the Church of Scotland and writer on population
• Robert Wallace (Unitarian) (1791–1850), English Unitarian minister
• William Wallace (Jesuit) (1863–1922), Irish Jesuit and Indologist

• A. J. Wallace (American football) (born 1988), American football player
• Alexander Wallace (footballer) (1874 – 1899), English footballer
• Andy Wallace (racing driver) (born 1961), British race car driver
• Ben Wallace (basketball) (born 1974), American basketball player
• Bill Wallace (American football) (1912–1993), American football player
• Bill Wallace (martial artist) (born 1945), American karateka and kickboxer
• Billy Wallace (1878–1972), New Zealand rugby union player
• B. J. Wallace (born 1971), former American Minor League Baseball pitcher
• Bo Wallace (born 1992), American football player
• Bob Wallace (American football) (born 1945), former American football player
• Bob Wallace (footballer born 1948), English footballer
• Bob Wallace (footballer born 1893) (1893–1970), Scottish footballer for Nottingham Forest
• Bob Wallace (test driver) (1938–2013), New Zealand racing driver, auto engineer, developer of Lamborghini
• Bobby Wallace (American football) (born 1954), American college football coach
• Bobby Wallace (baseball) (1873–1960), American baseball player
• Caedan Wallace (born 2000), American football player
• Chris Wallace (American football) (born 1975), American football quarterback
• Chris Wallace (basketball), American basketball executive, scout, and manager
• Chrissy Wallace (born 1988), American race car driver
• Darrell Wallace Jr. (born 1993), American stock car driver
• Dave Wallace (baseball) (born 1947), American baseball coach and player
• David Wallace (catcher) (born 1979), American professional baseball player
• David Wallace (footballer), New Zealand international soccer player
• David Wallace (rugby union) (born 1976), Irish rugby union player
• Derek Wallace (born 1971), American baseball player
• Doc Wallace (1893–1964), American baseball player
• Don Wallace (born 1940), American baseball player
• Frank Wallace (soccer) (1922–1979), American soccer player, nicknamed "Pee Wee"
• Gerald Wallace (born 1982), American basketball player
• Harold Wallace (born 1975), Costa Rican soccer player
• Heather Wallace (born 1961), Canadian squash player
• Huck Wallace (1882–1951), American baseball player
• Ian Wallace (footballer) (born 1956), Scottish international footballer
• Isabelle Wallace (born 1996), Australian tennis player
• Jack Wallace (American football) (c. 1925–1995), American football player and coach
• Jack Wallace (catcher) (1890–1960), American baseball player
• Jackie Wallace (born 1951), American football player
• Jarrod Wallace (born 1991), Australian Rugby League player
• Jilly Wallace (born 1964), British freestyle skier and mother of Lloyd
• Jock Wallace Jr. (1935–1996), Scottish football player and manager
• John Wallace (American football coach), college football coach, head football coach at Rutgers University
• John Wallace (basketball) (born 1974), American basketball player
• John Wallace (cricketer) (1924–2008), South African-born first-class cricketer, who played for Rhodesia
• John Wallace (rower) (born 1962), Canadian rower
• John Wallace (sailor) (1903–1990), American sailor
• Jonathan Wallace (born 1986), American basketball player
• Joe Wallace (footballer) (1933–1993), Scottish footballer
• Keith Wallace (boxer) (1961–2000), English professional and Olympic boxer
• Ken Wallace (canoeist) (born 1983), Australian sprint canoer
• Ken Wallace (cricketer) (born 1936), English cricketer
• Kenny Wallace (born 1963), American stock car driver, former TV commentator
• K'Von Wallace (born 1997), American football player
• Lee Wallace (born 1987), Scottish football player
• Levi Wallace (born 1995), American football player
• Lloyd Wallace (born 1995), British freestyle skier and son of Jilly
• Mark Wallace (cricketer) (born 1981), Welsh cricketer
• Matt Wallace (racing driver) (born 1995), American race car driver
• Merv Wallace (1916–2008), New Zealand cricketer
• Mike Wallace (American football) (born 1986), American football wide receiver
• Mike Wallace (baseball) (born 1951), American baseball player
• Mike Wallace (racing driver) (born 1959), American race car driver
• Nancy Wallace (Pearson), American curler
• Peter Wallace (rugby league) (born 1985), Australian Rugby League player
• Philo Wallace (born 1970), Barbadian cricketer
• Raphael Wallace (born 1957), Nevisian cricketer
• Rasheed Wallace (born 1974), American basketball player
• Robin Wallace, British freestyle skier
• Rod Wallace (born 1969), English football player
• Ross Wallace (born 1985), Scottish football player
• Rusty Wallace (born 1956), American NASCAR driver
• Seneca Wallace (born 1980), American football player
• Skylar Wallace (born 2000), American softball player
• Steve Wallace (American football) (born 1964), American football player
• Steve Wallace (NASCAR) (born 1987), American race car driver
• Terry Wallace (born 1958), Australian football player and coach
• Trevin Wallace (born 2003), American college football player
• Tylan Wallace (born 1999), American football player
• William Wallace (rower) (1904–1967), Canadian Olympic rower
• William Middleton Wallace (died 1915), Scotland rugby player
• Willie Wallace (born 1940), Scottish footballer

• Barret Wallace, fictional character in Final Fantasy VII
• Beth Wallace, fictional character in the soap opera Passions
• Chris Wallace (EastEnders), an EastEnders character
• David Wallace (The Office), CEO of Dunder Mifflin on the US TV series The Office
• Eli Wallace, fictional character on the TV science fiction drama series Stargate Universe
• Marsellus Wallace, fictional gangster portrayed by Ving Rhames in the 1994 film Pulp Fiction
• Nathan Wallace, fictional character in Repo! The Genetic Opera
• Nicole Wallace (Law & Order: Criminal Intent), fictional character on the TV drama series Law & Order: Criminal Intent
• Shilo Wallace, fictional character in Repo! The Genetic Opera
• Wallace Wallace, fictional character in No More Dead Dogs who was always on detention.

• Benjamin Wallace (circus owner) (1847–1921), American circus owner
• David A. Wallace (1917–2004), American urban planner, architect, and educator
• Felicity Wallace, New Zealand architect
• Frank Wallace (gangster) (before 1910–1931), Irish-American gangster from South Boston
• John Findley Wallace (1852–1921), American engineer, worked on the Panama Canal
• John-Paul Wallace (born 1976), English chess player
• Keith Wallace (wine writer), wine columnist, journalist and wine school founder
• Martin Wallace (game designer), English game designer
• Michele Wallace (born 1952), African American feminist and author
• Minik Wallace (c. 1890–1918), Greenland-born Inuk brought to America for study
• Nancy Wallace (environmentalist) (1930-2024), American environmentalist
• Nancy G. Wallace, Wyoming politician
• Peter Wallace (buccaneer) (fl. 1630s), Anglo-Scottish buccaneer in the Bay of Honduras
• Sir Richard Wallace, 1st Baronet (1818–1890), English art collector
• Richetta Randolph Wallace (1884-1971), American administrator and campaigner
• Sanford Wallace (born 1968), American spammer and DJ, self-proclaimed "Spam King"
• Staker Wallace (1733–1798), United Irishman who rebelled against the British
• William Wallace (mason) (died 1631), Scottish master mason and architect
• William A. A. Wallace (1817–1899), American Texas Ranger captain with the nickname "Bigfoot"
• William Herbert Wallace (1878–1933), English convicted 'murderer', later found to be innocent on appeal
• William Kelly Wallace (1883–1969), Irish railway engineer
• William Roy Wallace (architect) (1889–1983), American architect
• William Wallace Lincoln (1850–1862), son of Abraham Lincoln

• Clan Wallace
• Wallace (given name)
• Wallace (disambiguation)
• Wallis (surname)