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Irish surname

Herlihy: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó hIarfhlatha, Ó Iarlaithe, Ó hIarlatha · 'descendant of Iarfhlaith' (under-lord)

Woulfe (1923) gives Herlihy and O'Herlihy as anglicised forms of Ó hIarfhlatha, 'descendant of Iarfhlaith' (under-lord), the name of an ecclesiastical family who were hereditary erenaghs of St. Gobnait's church at Ballyvourny, Co. Cork. He says the name is still common in Cork and Kerry, but sometimes disguised under the anglicised form Hurley. In 1890 Ireland's birth indexes held 42 entries including spelling varieties (38 spelled Herlihy), 29 in Cork and 11 in Kerry.

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Coat of arms associated with the Herlihy surname
Irish formÓ hIarfhlatha, Ó Iarlaithe, Ó hIarlatha
Meaning'descendant of Iarfhlaith' (under-lord)
CountiesCork, Kerry
Other spellings5

Origin of the Herlihy name

Woulfe: 'the name of an ecclesiastical family who were hereditary erenaghs of St. Gobnait's church at Ballyvourny, Co. Cork; still common in Cork and Kerry, but sometimes disguised under the anglicised form of Hurley.'[1]

  1. 1579 or 1580Bishop Thomas O'Herlihy died: 'd. 1579' (Catholic Encyclopedia) or '11 March, 1580' (its Ross article).[5][6]
  2. 189042 birth entries incl. varieties (38 Herlihy); 29 in Cork, 11 in Kerry.[2][8]

Where in Ireland

Co. CorkErenaghs of St. Gobnait's church at Ballyvourny; 29 of 42 births in 1890.[1][2]
Co. KerryWoulfe: 'still common in Cork and Kerry'; 11 of 42 births in 1890.[1][2]

Notable people named Herlihy

Thomas O'Herlihy (O'Herlahy)d. 1579 (Catholic Encyclopedia) or 11 March 1580 (its Ross article)Bishop of Ross; one of three Irish bishops at the Council of Trent; sent to the Tower of London; buried in Kilcrea Friary.[5][6]

Other spellings

O'Herlihy · Herley · O Hierlehy · O Herlehey · O Hurlihie[1][4]

The Herlihy coat of arms

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

Herlihy crest gifts

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Herlihy surname: questions

What does the surname Herlihy mean?

Woulfe gives Herlihy as a form of Ó hIarfhlatha, 'descendant of Iarfhlaith', a personal name he glosses as 'under-lord'.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Herlihy name from?

Woulfe says the family were hereditary erenaghs of St. Gobnait's church at Ballyvourny, Co. Cork, and that the name is still common in Cork and Kerry. In 1890, 29 of the 42 births were in Cork and 11 in Kerry.[1][2]

Are Herlihy and Hurley the same name?

Sometimes. Woulfe says Ó hIarfhlatha is 'sometimes disguised under the anglicised form of Hurley'. Matheson (1901) lists Herlihy and O'Herlihy under Hurley, meaning they were found or reported to be used interchangeably in registration; his Hurley list also includes other names, such as Commane and Harley.[1][4][7]

Was there a Bishop Herlihy at the Council of Trent?

Yes. The Catholic Encyclopedia says Thomas O'Herlihy, Bishop of Ross, was one of three Irish bishops attending the Council of Trent.[5][6]

Sources

  1. Ó hIarfhlatha — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oh/o-hiarfhlatha.php
  2. Herlihy — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/herlihy.php
  3. Herlihy — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/875.php
  4. Hurley — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/937.php
  5. Thomas O'Herlahy — The Catholic Encyclopedia (1911), New Advent. newadvent.org/cathen/11225b.htm
  6. Diocese of Ross (Ireland) — The Catholic Encyclopedia (1912), New Advent. newadvent.org/cathen/13201a.htm
  7. Memorandum explanatory of Alphabetical List — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/memorandum.php
  8. 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

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