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Irish surname

Lally: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Maolalaidh · 'descendant of Maolaladh' (speckled chief)

Woulfe (1923) gives Lally as one of the anglicised forms of Ó Maolalaidh, 'descendant of Maolaladh' (speckled chief), 'the name of a branch of the Ui Maine in Co. Galway'. About the time of the Anglo-Norman invasion, he writes, 'the O'Mullallys were dispossessed by the Burkes', and they settled at Tulach na dála, anglicised Tullaghnadaly, four miles north of Tuam. 'James Lally of Tullindaly sat as representative of Tuam in King James's Parliament of 1689'; he was attainted in 1691 with his brother Gerald, and both retired to France, where Gerald's son and grandson, the Counts Lally de Tollendal, 'made the name celebrated in Europe'. In the 1890 birth indexes Matheson records 34 entries including spelling varieties (33 spelled Lally), principally found in Mayo and Galway.

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Coat of arms associated with the Lally surname
Irish formÓ Maolalaidh
Meaning'descendant of Maolaladh' (speckled chief)
CountiesMayo, Galway
Other spellings4

Origin of the Lally name

Woulfe: Ó Maolalaidh, 'descendant of Maolaladh' (speckled chief), is 'the name of a branch of the Ui Maine in Co. Galway', 'of the same descent as the O'Neachtains', both 'called Ui Fiachrach Finn from their ancestor, Fiachra Fionn'. 'The clan lands comprised the fertile plain of Maonmhagh, lying around Loughrea'; 'about the time of the Anglo-Norman invasion the O'Mullallys were dispossessed by the Burkes' and settled at Tullaghnadaly, near Tuam.[1]

  1. 1487Four Masters: O'Mullally, head of the wisdom of Hy-Many, died.[3]
  2. 1689James Lally of Tullindaly sits for Tuam in King James's Irish Parliament.[1]
  3. 1691James and his brother Gerald Lally attainted; both retire to France.[1]
  4. 189034 entries including spelling varieties (33 spelled Lally); principally found in Mayo and Galway.[2]

Where in Ireland

Co. MayoMatheson 1890, counties principally found: '17 in Mayo' of 34 entries (33 spelled Lally).[2]
Co. GalwayClan-lands around Loughrea, then Tullaghnadaly near Tuam (Woulfe); Matheson 1890: '11 in Galway'.[1][2]

Notable people named Lally

James Lally of Tullindalyfl. 1689-1691Sat as representative of Tuam in King James's Parliament of 1689; attainted 1691, retired to France.[1]
Gerald Lallyfl. 1691Brother of James; attainted with him in 1691, retired to France, married a noble French lady.[1]
Counts Lally de Tollendalundated in WoulfeGerald's son and grandson; Woulfe says they 'made the name celebrated in Europe'.[1]

Other spellings

O Mullaly · O Mullally · Mullally · Mullaly[1]

The Lally coat of arms

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

Lally crest gifts

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Lally surname: questions

What does the surname Lally mean?

Woulfe gives Lally as a form of Ó Maolalaidh, 'descendant of Maolaladh', which he glosses as 'speckled chief'.[1]

Where in Ireland does the Lally name come from?

Woulfe traces it to a branch of the Uí Maine in Co. Galway, with clan-lands near Loughrea and later a settlement at Tullaghnadaly near Tuam. In 1890 most Lally births were registered in Mayo and Galway.[1][2]

Is Lally the same name as Mullally?

Woulfe prints both as anglicised forms of the one Irish name, Ó Maolalaidh: 'O Mullaly, O Mullally, Mullally, Mullaly, Lally'.[1]

Who were the Counts Lally de Tollendal?

Descendants of Gerald Lally, brother of James Lally of Tullindaly; after the 1691 attainder the family settled in France, where Woulfe says they 'made the name celebrated in Europe'.[1]

Sources

  1. Ó Maolalaidh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/om/o-maolalaidh.php
  2. Lally — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/lally.php
  3. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan) — M1487 (part 12) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005D/text012.html

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