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Irish surname

Scully: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Scolaidhe, Ó Scolaighe · 'descendant of Scolaidhe' or 'Scolaighe' (crier)

Woulfe (1923) gives Scully as an anglicised form of Ó Scolaidhe, 'descendant of Scolaidhe' (crier), a Westmeath family who were chiefs of West Delvin until dispersed early in the 12th century, when they became erenaghs of the church of St. Ruadhan at Lorrha, Co. Tipperary. Denys Scully (1773–1830), author of the 1812 Statement of the Penal Laws, was a leader in the cause of Catholic Emancipation. In 1890 Scully births were found principally in Cork, Dublin, Carlow and King's.

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Coat of arms associated with the Scully surname
Irish formÓ Scolaidhe, Ó Scolaighe
Meaning'descendant of Scolaidhe' or 'Scolaighe' (crier)
CountiesWestmeath, Tipperary, Cork, Dublin
Other spellings2
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Origin of the Scully name

Woulfe: Ó Scolaidhe was 'the name of a Westmeath family who were chiefs of West Delvin until dispersed early in the 12th century, when they became erenaghs of the church of St. Ruadhan at Lorrha, in Co. Tipperary.' He says it is apparently the same name as Ó Scalaighe.[1][2]

  1. 1106Four Masters: 'Maelmuire Ua Scolaighe, successor of Ruadhan of Lothra, died.'[4]
  2. Early 12th centuryChiefs of West Delvin dispersed; became erenaghs of St. Ruadhan's church, Lorrha.[1]
  3. End of the 16th centuryMost numerous in Cork, Dublin, Carlow, Offaly and Tipperary (Woulfe).[1]
  4. 1773Denys Scully born at Kilfeacle, Co. Tipperary, 4 May.[5][6]
  5. 1812Denys Scully's Statement of the Penal Laws published.[5][6]
  6. 1830Denys Scully died at Kilfeacle, 25 October.[5][6]
  7. 189065 Scully birth entries; principally in Cork, Dublin, Carlow, and King's.[3]

Where in Ireland

Co. WestmeathWoulfe: Ó Scolaidhe were chiefs of West Delvin until dispersed early in the 12th century.[1]
Co. TipperaryErenaghs at Lorrha; Woulfe lists Tipperary where it was most numerous at the end of the 16th century.[1]
Co. CorkNamed by Woulfe for the end of the 16th century; first county named for Scully births in 1890.[1][3]
Co. DublinNamed by Woulfe for the end of the 16th century and by Matheson for 1890 births.[1][3]
Co. CarlowNamed by Woulfe for the end of the 16th century and by Matheson for 1890 births.[1][3]
Co. OffalyWoulfe names Offaly among the counties where the name was most numerous at the end of the 16th century.[1]

Notable people named Scully

Denys Scully1773–1830Of Kilfeacle, Co. Tipperary; Catholic Emancipation leader; his Statement of the Penal Laws (1812) led to the printer's prosecution.[5][6]
Vincent Scully1810–1871Son of Denys Scully; lawyer and politician, for some years member of Parliament for County Cork.[5][6]

Other spellings

O Scully · O Scollee[1]

The Scully coat of arms

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

Scully surname: questions

What does the surname Scully mean?

Woulfe gives Scully as a form of Ó Scolaidhe or Ó Scolaighe, 'descendant of Scolaidhe' or 'Scolaighe', which he glosses as 'crier'.[1]

Is Scully an Irish name?

Yes. Woulfe lists O Scully and Scully as anglicised forms of the Irish surname Ó Scolaidhe.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Scully name from?

Woulfe says the Ó Scolaidhe were a Westmeath family, chiefs of West Delvin until dispersed early in the 12th century, after which they were erenaghs of the church of St. Ruadhan at Lorrha, Co. Tipperary. In 1890 Scully births were found principally in Cork, Dublin, Carlow and King's.[1][3]

Who was Denys Scully?

Webb calls him 'a prominent leader in the cause of Catholic Emancipation', born at Kilfeacle, Co. Tipperary, in 1773. His Statement of the Penal Laws (1812) led to the prosecution of its publisher, and he died at Kilfeacle in 1830.[5]

Sources

  1. Ó Scolaidhe — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/os/o-scolaidhe.php
  2. Ó Scalaighe — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/os/o-scalaighe.php
  3. Scully — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/scully.php
  4. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1106 (part 21) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005B/text021.html
  5. Denys Scully — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/DenysScully.php
  6. Scully, Denys — Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Wikisource. en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/...

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