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Irish surname

Connolly: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Conghalaigh · 'descendant of Conghalach' (valorous, derivative of Conghal)

Connolly is an anglicised form of Ó Conghalaigh, 'descendant of Conghalach' (valorous). Woulfe (1923) lists four families of that name, in Meath and Monaghan, Thomond, Galway and Roscommon, and warns that its anglicised forms cannot always be told apart from those of several other Irish surnames. In Matheson's 1890 survey Connolly was the 23rd commonest surname in Ireland, with about 17,000 people.

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Coat of arms associated with the Connolly surname
Irish formÓ Conghalaigh
Meaning'descendant of Conghalach' (valorous, derivative of Conghal)
CountiesMonaghan, Meath, Galway, Roscommon
Other spellings4

Origin of the Connolly name

Woulfe lists four Ó Conghalaigh families: (1) southern Ui Neill of East Meath, dispossessed after the Anglo-Norman invasion, who settled with the MacMahons in Co. Monaghan; (2) a Dalcassian family in Thomond, 'said to be' from Mahon, brother of Brian Boru; (3) a Ui Maine branch in Co. Galway, kin of the O'Maddens; (4) a Roscommon family.[1]

  1. 1750John Connolly, later Bishop of New York, born at Slane, Co. Meath.[7]
  2. 1814Connolly consecrated Bishop of New York in Rome, 6 November.[7]
  3. 1815Bishop Connolly reaches New York, 24 November.[7]
  4. 1890Connolly is Ireland's 23rd commonest surname, about 17,000 people.[5]

Where in Ireland

Co. MonaghanThe East Meath family settled here with the MacMahons and 'became very numerous'; principal county in 1890.[1][6]
Co. MeathSeat (East Meath) of the southern Ui Neill family until dispossessed soon after the Anglo-Norman invasion.[1]
Co. GalwayA Ui Maine branch of the O'Madden stock; the 'Connelly' spelling was mainly found here in 1890.[1][6]
Co. RoscommonHome of a fourth, separate Ó Conghalaigh family.[1]
Co. CorkFirst-named county for Connolly births in 1890; Woulfe also gives '(Connelly)' for the West Cork Ó Coingheallaigh.[6][4]

Notable people named Connolly

John Connolly, O.P.1750–1825Dominican from Slane, Co. Meath; Prior of St Clement's, Rome; second Bishop of New York from 1814.[7]

Other spellings

O Connolly · O Connally · O Conely · Connelly[1]

The Connolly coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Connolly surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Connolly crest gifts

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Connolly surname: questions

What does the surname Connolly mean?

Woulfe gives Connolly as an anglicised form of Ó Conghalaigh, 'descendant of Conghalach', a name meaning valorous (a derivative of Conghal).[1]

Where in Ireland is Connolly from?

There is no single origin. Woulfe lists Ó Conghalaigh families in East Meath (later Monaghan), in Thomond, in Co. Galway and in Co. Roscommon. In the 1890 births index Connolly was principally found in Cork, Monaghan, Galway, Antrim and Dublin.[1][6]

Are Connolly and Connelly the same name?

They can be. Woulfe lists both Connolly and Connelly among the forms of Ó Conghalaigh, but he also gives Connelly as a form of Mac Conghaile (West Connacht) and, in brackets, of Ó Coingheallaigh (West Cork). He says the anglicised forms 'cannot always be distinguished'.[1][3][4]

Is Connolly Irish?

Yes. Woulfe gives Connolly as an anglicised form of the Irish surname Ó Conghalaigh, and Connolly or Connelly also appear among his forms of other Irish surnames, including Mac Conghalaigh, Ó Conghaile, Mac Conghaile and Ó Coingheallaigh.[1][8][2][3][4]

Sources

  1. Ó Conghalaigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-conghalaigh.php
  2. Ó Conghaile — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-conghaile.php
  3. Mac Conghaile — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macc/mac-conghaile.php
  4. Ó Coingheallaigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-coingheallaigh.php
  5. Principal Surnames in Ireland (table of 100 principal surnames, Births Index 1890) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/principal-surnames-ireland.php
  6. Connolly — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/connolly.php
  7. John Connolly — The Catholic Encyclopedia (Victor O'Daniel, 1908), vol. 4, New Advent. newadvent.org/cathen/04257a.htm
  8. Mac Conghalaigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macc/mac-conghalaigh.php

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).