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Irish surname

Kiely: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Cadhla · 'descendant of Cadhla' (beautiful, comely, graceful)

Woulfe (1923) gives Kiely, with Keily, Kealy, Keely and Keeley, as anglicised forms of Ó Cadhla, 'descendant of Cadhla'. He names two families: chiefs of Connemara in Connacht, and chiefs of Tuath Luimnigh near Limerick city. In 1890 Kiely and Keily births were chiefly in Cork, Limerick and Waterford.

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Coat of arms associated with the Kiely surname
Irish formÓ Cadhla
Meaning'descendant of Cadhla' (beautiful, comely, graceful)
CountiesCork, Limerick, Waterford, Galway
Other spellings6
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Kiely crest gifts

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Origin of the Kiely name

Woulfe: Ó Cadhla was the name (1) of a Connacht family who were formerly chiefs of Connemara, and (2) of a Thomond family who were chiefs of Tuath Luimnigh, near the city of Limerick. 'Both families are still numerously represented in Connacht and Munster.' It is to be distinguished from Ó Caollaidhe.[1]

  1. 1890110 births registered for Kiely, Keely, Kealy, Keily and Keeley together.[3]
  2. 1919Benedict Kiely born outside Dromore, Co. Tyrone, 15 August.[4]
  3. 1946Benedict Kiely's first novel, Land Without Stars, published.[4]

Where in Ireland

Co. CorkKiely and Keily births principally found here in 1890.[3]
Co. LimerickKiely/Keily county in 1890; the Ó Cadhla chiefs of Tuath Luimnigh were near Limerick city.[3][1]
Co. WaterfordKiely and Keily births principally found here in 1890.[3]
Co. GalwayThe Keely and Keeley spellings were principally found in Dublin, Wicklow and Galway in 1890.[3]
Co. KilkennyThe Kealy spelling was principally found in Kilkenny in 1890.[3]

Notable people named Kiely

Benedict Kiely1919–2007Novelist, short-story writer, critic, journalist and broadcaster, born near Dromore, Co. Tyrone, educated in Omagh.[4]

Other spellings

Keily · Kealy · Keely · Keeley · Quealy · O Kealy[1][3]

The Kiely coat of arms

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

Kiely surname: questions

What does the surname Kiely mean?

Woulfe gives Kiely as a form of Ó Cadhla, 'descendant of Cadhla', a name meaning beautiful, comely or graceful.[1]

Is Kiely an Irish name?

Yes. Woulfe lists Kiely as an anglicised form of the Irish surname Ó Cadhla, borne by a Connacht family and a Thomond family.[1]

Are Kiely, Kealy and Keely the same name?

Woulfe lists Kiely, Keily, Kealy, Keely and Keeley all under Ó Cadhla, and Matheson counted them together in 1890. Woulfe also gives Kealy and Keely as forms of a different name, Ó Caollaidhe, and says Ó Cadhla is 'to be distinguished from' it.[1][2][3]

Where in Ireland is the Kiely name from?

In 1890 Kiely and Keily were chiefly in Cork, Limerick and Waterford; Keely and Keeley in Dublin, Wicklow and Galway; Kealy in Kilkenny. Woulfe names Ó Cadhla families in Connemara and near Limerick city.[3][1]

Sources

  1. Ó Cadhla — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-cadhla.php
  2. Ó Caollaidhe — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-caollaidhe.php
  3. Kiely — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/kiely.php
  4. Benedict Kiely: Dominant presence on Irish arts scene for many decades (obituary, 10 Feb 2007), The Irish Times. irishtimes.com/news/dominant-presence-on-irish-arts-scene-for-many-...

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