Wallace

Wallace is a surname of Scottish origin that has become common in English-speaking countries, and it is also used as a given name. The name is associated with several notable figures and has given rise to place names and cultural references.

Notable individuals with the surname include William Wallace (c. 1270–1305), the Scottish knight who led resistance against English rule; Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913), a British naturalist who independently conceived natural selection and jointly proposed it with Charles Darwin; and Henry Agard Wallace (1888–1965), an American statesman who served as vice president under Franklin D. Roosevelt. The name also appears in various other fields, including arts, science, and politics, reflecting its broad usage.

In science and biogeography, Wallace is associated with the biogeographical boundary known as Wallace’s Line, drawn by Alfred Russel Wallace to separate the fauna of Asia and Australia. The surname is also linked to popular culture through the character Wallace, the eccentric inventor in Wallace and Gromit, a British animated franchise created by Nick Park.

Geographically, there are places named Wallace, including Wallace, Idaho, a historic mining town known for its preserved heritage and historic district. The name appears in other locales as well, reflecting its widespread adoption in North America and beyond.

Beyond people and places, the name Wallace is used by organizations and institutions, such as The Wallace Foundation, a U.S. grantmaking organization that supports education and the arts.