GALE

Gale is a surname of English origin that has been documented in a variety of forms and from several linguistic roots. Its earliest appearances can be traced to the late twelfth century within the records of the British Isles, particularly in England.

The name is recorded as a nickname in early medieval England, derived from the Old English gal, which means jovial, merry or boisterous. In the same period, the Normans introduced a personal name Geil into the English lexicon after the invasion of 1066; this form bears the same cheerful connotation and is preserved in the legal rolls of Worcester in 1186 where Robert le Geil is listed.

A third derivation comes from the Old Norman–French word gaiole, meaning a prison. From this root the surname could act as a metonymic occupational marker for a jailer or, alternatively, as a topographical name for an individual living near a local gaiole.

The surname appears in several orthographic variations, including Gale, Gail, Geil, Geill, Gayle and Gails. Such diversity of spelling reflects the lack of standardised spelling in medieval England and the blending of Anglo‑Saxon, Norse and Norman linguistic influences.

The first clear manuscript mention of a bearer of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire for the year 1186, when Robert le Geil is recorded during the reign of King Henry the Eleventh, who ruled from 1154 to 1189. A later entry records Juliana le Gale in the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dated 1327.

By the early seventeenth century the name had crossed the Atlantic. John Gale is documented on 16 February 1623 as living in Virginea, thereby becoming one of the earliest settlers of the New England Colonies, in what is now the United States of America.

Throughout its history the surname has remained firmly within the Christian community of England, and it continues to be present in the contemporary population of the British Isles. The varied origins and meanings of the name make it a notable example of how English surnames can embody both personal character traits and occupational or locational references.

Typical given names associated with the Gale surname

Male

• Andrew
• Christopher
• David
• John
• Michael
• Paul
• Peter
• Richard
• Robert
• Stephen

Female

• Christine
• Elizabeth
• Emma
• Helen
• Julie
• Margaret
• Nicola
• Patricia
• Sarah
• Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Gale in...

Braille

⠛⠁⠇⠑

Morse

--..-.-...

Semaphore

Surname type: Occupational name

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Famous people named Gale

• Luke Allen-Gale - Actor
• Tony Gale - Football player
• Roger Gale - Politician
• David Gale - Actor (1936 to 1991)
• Richard Gale - Army World War II general (1896 to 1982)
• Vincent Gale - Actor
• Melvyn Gale - Musician
• Shaun Gale - Football player; football manager
• Humfrey Gale - Army general (1890 to 1971)
• Luke Gale - Rugby league player
• John Gale - Poker player
• Andrew Gale - Cricketer
• Henry Ernest Geehl [pronounced 'Gale'] - Musician (1881 to 1961)
• Anita Gale, Baroness Gale - Baroness
• Tommy Gale - Football player (1920 to 1975)
• Edward Gale - Cricketer (1818 to 1894)
• Leslie Gale - Cricketer (1904 to 1982)
• Colin Gale - Welsh football player (1932 to 2008)
• Alexander Gale - New Zealand cricketer (1892 to 1965)
• Arthur Gale - Football player (1904 to 1)

Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.

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