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Irish surname

Hanly: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó hÁinle (also Ó hAinlighe, Ó hÁinlighe) · 'descendant of Áinle' (beauty, also a hero or warrior)

Woulfe (1923) gives Hanly and Hanley as anglicised forms of Ó hÁinle, 'descendant of Áinle', the name of a Connacht family who were chiefs of Cinel Dobhtha, a district in Co. Roscommon along the Shannon. In the 1890 birth indexes Hanly and Hanley together had 95 entries, Hanly chiefly in Roscommon, Galway, Limerick and Tipperary, Hanley in Cork.

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Coat of arms associated with the Hanly surname
Irish formÓ hÁinle (also Ó hAinlighe, Ó hÁinlighe)
Meaning'descendant of Áinle' (beauty, also a hero or warrior)
CountiesRoscommon, Galway, Limerick, Tipperary
Other spellings6

Origin of the Hanly name

A Connacht family, chiefs of Cinel Dobhtha, later called Tuaohanly and Doohy Hanly, a district in Co. Roscommon along the Shannon (parishes of Kilglass, Termonbarry, Cloontuskert and the eastern half of Lisonuffy). The O'Hanlys held it, as tributaries to O'Conor Don, down to the 17th century (Woulfe).[1]

  1. 1568-9Gillyerneuf O Haly nominated captain of the country of Towohaly by Queen Elizabeth.[1]
  2. 1582Fergananym O Hanly, gentleman, granted the office of seneschal of Tohahohanly.[1]
  3. 17th centuryO'Hanlys still hold their territory as tributaries to O'Conor Don.[1]
  4. 189095 entries (Hanly 60, Hanley 35) in the Irish birth indexes.[3]

Where in Ireland

Co. RoscommonSeat of the O'Hanlys' territory, Cinel Dobhtha; first county named for 'Hanly' births in 1890.[1][3]
Co. GalwayAmong the counties where 'Hanly' was principally found in 1890.[3]
Co. LimerickAmong the counties where 'Hanly' was principally found in 1890.[3]
Co. TipperaryAmong the counties where 'Hanly' was principally found in 1890.[3]
Co. CorkThe county named for the 'Hanley' spelling in 1890.[3]

Other spellings

Hanley · O'Hanly · O Hanley · Handly · Henly · Hanily[1][3][4]

The Hanly coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Hanly 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.

Hanly crest gifts

Clan Hanly Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap PU99 Hanly Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Hanly Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00Clan Ohanly Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapXY91 Classic Cap - Ohanly Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Ohanly Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Hanly Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapLO42 Classic Cap - Hanly Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Hanly Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00

Hanly surname: questions

What does the surname Hanly mean?

Woulfe gives Hanly as a form of Ó hÁinle, 'descendant of Áinle', a name meaning beauty, also a hero or warrior.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Hanly name from?

Woulfe says the family were chiefs of Cinel Dobhtha, a district in Co. Roscommon along the Shannon. In 1890 Hanly births were found chiefly in Roscommon, Galway, Limerick and Tipperary, and Hanley births in Cork.[1][3]

Are Hanly and Hanley the same name?

Woulfe lists both Hanly and Hanley as anglicised forms of Ó hÁinle, and Matheson's list of spelling varieties gives Hanly under Hanley.[1][4]

Is Hanly the same name as Hanlon?

Not according to the sources. Woulfe gives Hanly and Hanley under Ó hÁinle, a family of Co. Roscommon, and Hanlon under a separate name, Ó hAnluain, an Oriel family of Co. Armagh. Matheson's list of Hanley spellings does not include Hanlon.[1][2]

Sources

  1. Ó hÁinle — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oh/o-hainle.php
  2. Ó hAnluain — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oh/o-hanluain.php
  3. Hanly — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/hanly.php
  4. Hanley (list no. 807) — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/807.php

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