Wallach

Recorded in several forms including Vlach, Valach, Vallack, Walach, Wallach, Wallacher, Wallack, Wallocke, Walker, Wallicker, Walliker, and possibly others, this is a surname of probably per 7th century Germanic origins, but found throughout Northern Europe. It may derive from either of two sources. The first is from the ancient word "waelcker" meaning to walk or tread, and used to describe a textile worker, one who dyed cloth by treading it into the dye. The British equivalent word was "fuller", itself a later popular surname. The second or more likely is from the similarly ancient words "vlach" which is associated with most of Central Europe, or "wealh" which was German or English. Both have the meaning of a foreigner or immigrant. In the British Isles the word became associated with Norman-English who went to Scotland in the 11th century, where they were called "waleis," latter Wallace or Wallis, or the by the English for the Welsh, the country name of Wales being a spelling of waleis. The International Genealogical Index for London lists the rare Wallicker and Walliker under Walker, which is surprising as Walker is a surname name which is almost exclusively spelt exactly as that. The earliest recording of Walliker that we have been able to find, although much earlier ones almost certainly exist somewhere, is that of Samuel Walliker. He married Louisa Ingram at the church of St Andrews by the Wardrobe, in the city of London, on February 19th 1843.