The noble family Gall von Gallenstein, sometimes referred to as Gall zu Gallenstein, von Gallenstein, and nowadays sometimes simply Gallenstein was a royal house

Royal House

A royal house or royal dynasty consists of at least one, but usually more monarchs who are related to one another, as well as their non-reigning descendants and spouses. Monarchs of the same realm who are not related to one another are usually deemed to belong to different houses, and each house is...

 and is best known for their castle of the same name. Originally nobles from Alsace-Lorraine, the family owned castles in the Habsburg Empire.

Castles

The Gall von Gallensteins owned Burgruine Gallenstein

Burgruine Gallenstein

Burgruine Gallenstein is a castle in Styria, Austria. The ruined Gallenstein Castle hosts many concerts and exhibitions as well as the annual Festival St. Gallen. http://www.steiermark.at/cms/beitrag/10037153/87844/...

 in Styria for a long time, as well as Brežice Castle

Brežice Castle

Brežice Castle is a 16th century castle located in the town of Brežice, in southwestern Slovenia., at the street address of Cesta prvih borcev 1....

 in Slovenia

Slovenia

Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...

 (both castles then part of the Habsburg-Austrian Empire

Habsburg Monarchy

The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...

) with perhaps the most notable Gallenstein owner of Brežice Castle being Franc Gall von Gallenstein. They also owned Finkenegg Castle briefly and Asparn Castle, the most notable of Asparn was Freiherr Bernhard Leo Gall von Gallenstein.

Family

The mother of Sigismund von Schrattenbach

Sigismund von Schrattenbach

Sigismund Graf von Schrattenbach was the Archbishop of Salzburg from 1753 to 1771. He was the son of Otto Heinrich, Graf von Schrattenbach, and Maria Theresa, Countess of Wildenstein, widowed Baroness Gall von Gallenstein.After studying theology, he was ordained a priest in 1723...

, Archbishop of Salzburg

Salzburg

-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...

, was Maria Theresa, widowed baroness Gall von Gallenstein.

The mother of Johann Weikhard von Auersperg, an Austrian minister and Prince of Auersperg

Principality of Auersperg

Auersperg was an Austrian princely family, which held estates in Austria and Thengen...

, was Sidonia Gall von Gallenstein.

By one branch, Afra Gall von Gallenstein is Philippe of Belgium's and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg's 12-Great Grandmother.

By another, Afra Gall von Gallenstein is also is His Royal Highness Charles

Charles, Prince of Wales

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...

's 12-Great Grandmother, Harald V of Norway

Harald V of Norway

Harald V is the king of Norway. He succeeded to the throne of Norway upon the death of his father Olav V on 17 January 1991...

, Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden

Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden

Carl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him...

, Constantine II of the Hellenes, and Margrethe II of Denmark's 11-Great Grandmother, and Beatrix of the Netherlands

Beatrix of the Netherlands

Beatrix is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprising the Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba. She is the first daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She studied law at Leiden University...

 and Juan Carlos of Spain's

Juan Carlos I of Spain

Juan Carlos I |Italy]]) is the reigning King of Spain.On 22 November 1975, two days after the death of General Francisco Franco, Juan Carlos was designated king according to the law of succession promulgated by Franco. Spain had no monarch for 38 years in 1969 when Franco named Juan Carlos as the...

 10-Great Grandmother, as well as Manuel II of Portugal

Manuel II of Portugal

Manuel II , named Manuel Maria Filipe Carlos Amélio Luís Miguel Rafael Gabriel Gonzaga Francisco de Assis Eugénio de Bragança Orleães Sabóia e Saxe-Coburgo-Gotha — , was the last King of Portugal from 1908 to 1910, ascending the throne after the assassination of his father and elder brother Manuel...

 and Kaiser Wilhelm II of the German Empire

German Empire

The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...

's 9-Great Grandmother.

The current president of the National Wood Carvers Association is Edward Gallenstein

Edward Gallenstein

Edward Gallenstein is the Editor-in-Chief and President of the magazine Chip Chats and the National Wood Carvers Association, respectively.-Early life:...

, who has served as president for 40 years.

Etymology

Gallenstein could come from various sources; since the family originally came from France, the most likely meanining is Gall is derived from Gaul

Gaul

Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...

 (as in Gallic), the Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

word for what is now France.
Another possibility is it may be a habitational or topographic name from a minor or lost place so named, either from the family name Galle, which derived from the personal name Gallus (Latin for ‘rooster’) or from galle ‘wet, damaged spot (in a field)’ + Stein.