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Irish surname

Dooley: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Dubhlaoich · 'descendant of Dubhlaoch' (black hero)

Woulfe (1923) gives Dooley as an anglicised form of Ó Dubhlaoich, 'descendant of Dubhlaoch' (black hero), and names three distinct families: lords of Feara Tulach (now the barony of Fertullagh, Co. Westmeath), a family on the western side of Slieve Bloom in Ely O'Carroll, and a family in the south-east of Co. Galway. In 1890, Ireland's birth indexes held 60 entries for Dooley including spelling varieties (49 spelled Dooley), principally found in Dublin and King's.

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Coat of arms associated with the Dooley surname
Irish formÓ Dubhlaoich
Meaning'descendant of Dubhlaoch' (black hero)
CountiesWestmeath, Galway, Dublin, King's
Other spellings5
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Dooley crest gifts

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Origin of the Dooley name

Woulfe names three families: (1) of Feara Tulach, lords of the barony of Fertullagh (as now named), south-east Co. Westmeath, dispossessed soon after the Anglo-Norman invasion; (2) of Clann Mhaonaigh, per MacFirbis a branch of the O'Melaghlens of Meath, settled on the western side of Slieve Bloom in Ely O'Carroll; (3) of Siol Anmchadha, O'Madden stock, south-east Co. Galway.[1]

  1. 1040Four Masters: 'Ua Dubhlaich, lord of Fearta-Tulach, was killed by his own people.'[5]
  2. 1144Four Masters: Conchobhar, son of Toirdhealbhach Ua Conchobhair, killed by Ua Dubhlaich, lord of Feara-Tulach.[6]
  3. 189060 birth entries including spelling varieties (49 spelled Dooley); Dublin and King's.[2][4]

Where in Ireland

Co. WestmeathÓ Dubhlaoich were lords of Feara Tulach, now the barony of Fertullagh, before the Anglo-Norman invasion.[1]
Co. GalwayÓ Dubhlaoich of Siol Anmchadha were originally located in the south-east of the present Co. Galway.[1]
Co. DublinFirst of the two counties where Dooley births were principally found in 1890.[2]
Co. King'sNamed, as printed, by Matheson for Dooley births in 1890.[2]

Other spellings

Dooly · Dowley · O Dooly · O Dowley · O Dowlee[1][3]

The Dooley coat of arms

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

Dooley surname: questions

What does the surname Dooley mean?

Woulfe gives Dooley as a form of Ó Dubhlaoich, 'descendant of Dubhlaoch', which he glosses as 'black hero'.[1]

Is Dooley an Irish name?

Yes. Woulfe lists Dooley, Dooly and Dowley as anglicised forms of the Irish surname Ó Dubhlaoich.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Dooley name from?

Woulfe names three families: lords of Feara Tulach (Fertullagh) in south-east Co. Westmeath; a family on the western side of Slieve Bloom in Ely O'Carroll; and a family in the south-east of Co. Galway. In 1890 Dooley births were principally found in Dublin and King's.[1][2]

What was the Dooleys' role with the O'Carrolls?

Woulfe says of the Ely O'Carroll family that 'the head of the family had the privilege of inaugurating O'Carroll as king of Ely'.[1]

Sources

  1. Ó Dubhlaoich — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/od/o-dubhlaoich.php
  2. Dooley — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/dooley.php
  3. Dooly — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/492.php
  4. Table Explanation — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/table-explanation.php
  5. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1033–1042 (M1040.7) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005B/text014.html
  6. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1143–1152 (M1144.7) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005B/text025.html

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