Home › Irish Surnames › McNally

Irish surname

McNally: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Mac an Fhailghigh · 'son of the poor man' (Irish 'failgheach')

Woulfe (1923) gives McNally as an anglicised form of Mac an Fhailghigh, 'son of the poor man'. He calls it a Mayo surname borne by a family of Welsh or Norman origin, also common in the 16th century in many parts of Ulster and Leinster. In 1890, 101 births were registered in Ireland under McNally and its spellings (72 as McNally, 23 as McAnally), chiefly in Antrim, Armagh, Monaghan and Dublin.

Shop McNally crest giftsRead the history
Coat of arms associated with the McNally surname
Irish formMac an Fhailghigh
Meaning'son of the poor man' (Irish 'failgheach')
CountiesAntrim, Armagh, Monaghan, Dublin
Other spellings8
Welcome offer $10 off orders of $20 or more with code WELCOME10 One use per customer. Cannot be combined with other offers.

McNally crest gifts

Clan Macnally Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap XO49 Macnally Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Macnally Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap$33.45Clan Mcnally Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap SN74 Mcnally Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Mcnally Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap$33.45Clan Macnally Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapRP23 Classic Cap - Macnally Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Macnally Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45Clan Mcnally Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapUG32 Classic Cap - Mcnally Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Mcnally Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45MacNally Irish coat of arms glass ornaments, heart and round, hanging on a Christmas treeMacNally Coat of Arms – Irish Family Crest Glass Ornament$24.99MacNally Irish coat of arms acrylic ornament hanging on a Christmas treeMacNally Coat of Arms – Irish Family Crest Ornament$19.99McNally Irish coat of arms glass ornaments, heart and round, hanging on a Christmas treeMcNally Coat of Arms – Irish Family Crest Glass Ornament$24.99McNally Irish coat of arms acrylic ornament hanging on a Christmas treeMcNally Coat of Arms – Irish Family Crest Ornament$19.99

Origin of the McNally name

Woulfe: Mac an Fhailghigh is 'a Mayo surname borne by a family of Welsh or Norman origin; also common, in the 16th century, in many parts of Ulster and Leinster. In the North, it is apt to be confused with Mac Conuladh', an East Ulster surname, 'son of Cú-Uladh' (hound of Ulidia).[1][2]

  1. 16th centuryMac an Fhailghigh common in many parts of Ulster and Leinster.[1]
  2. 1752Leonard MacNally, barrister and dramatist, born in Dublin.[5]
  3. 1820MacNally dies in Dublin; his secret government pension then comes to light.[5]
  4. 1890101 births incl. varieties (72 McNally, 23 McAnally), chiefly Antrim, Armagh, Monaghan, Dublin.[3]

Where in Ireland

Co. AntrimFirst county named for McNally/McAnally births in 1890 (Ulster 59 of 101).[3]
Co. ArmaghPrincipal McNally county in 1890.[3]
Co. MonaghanPrincipal McNally county in 1890.[3]
Co. DublinPrincipal McNally county in 1890 (Leinster 27 of 101).[3]
Co. MayoWoulfe calls Mac an Fhailghigh a Mayo surname; Nally births in 1890 chiefly Mayo and Roscommon.[1][4]

Notable people named McNally

Leonard MacNally1752–1820Dublin-born barrister and author of twelve dramatic pieces; defended United Irishmen while secretly paid by Government.[5]

Other spellings

MacNally · MacAnally · McAnally · MacEnally · MacInally · Manally · Canally · Nally[1]

The McNally coat of arms

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

McNally surname: questions

What does the surname McNally mean?

Woulfe gives McNally as a form of Mac an Fhailghigh, 'son of the poor man', from Irish 'failgheach'.[1]

Is McNally an Irish name?

It is an Irish-language surname, but Woulfe says the Mayo family who bore Mac an Fhailghigh was of Welsh or Norman origin. He adds that it was also common in many parts of Ulster and Leinster in the 16th century.[1]

Where in Ireland is the McNally name from?

Woulfe calls it a Mayo surname. In 1890 McNally and McAnally births were found chiefly in Antrim, Armagh, Monaghan and Dublin.[1][3]

Are Nally and McNally the same name?

Woulfe lists Nally, with MacNally, MacAnally and Manally, among the anglicised forms of Mac an Fhailghigh.[1]

Sources

  1. Mac an Fhailghigh – Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/maca/mac-an-fhailghigh.php
  2. Mac Conuladh – Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macc/mac-conuladh.php
  3. McNally – Birth Indexes of 1890 – Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/mcnally.php
  4. Nally – Birth Indexes of 1890 – Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/nally.php
  5. Leonard McNally – A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/LeonardMcNally.php

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