Surname MacNelly - Meaning and Origin
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MacNelly: What does the surname MacNelly mean?
The surname MacNelly is of Scottish origins, and is derived from the personal name ‘Niall’ which is the Irish form of the Gaelic name ‘Nel’. This name means ‘Champion’ and is derived from ‘Niadh’ which means ‘cloud’. It is thought that this indicates a person from a family of warriors, and this is further reinforced by the fact that the first recorded use of a variation of the surname dates back to the 13th century in the hilly, Highlands of Scotland.
The MacNellys were traditionally a clan of hardy, independent and fiercely loyal people and this is indicative of their heritage and origins, but the clan itself does not appear to have been prominent. Family tradition tells of the MacNelly clan having been persecuted by Oliver Cromwell in the early days of the clan, and they subsequently disbanded leading to their descendants being scattered throughout various parts of Scotland.
The majority of MacNellys spelling their surname with two ‘L’s emerged from the districts of Argyll, Kintyre and Lochaber during the 18th century and records would indicate that a number of these families relocated to other areas in Scotland such as Aberdeenshire and Glasgow.
The MacNelly surname is still found predominantly amongst people of Scots descent, with some members of the clan now residing in various parts of the world. The traditional meaning of the surname remains in place with many families still proudly displaying their link to a fierce, determined and resilient ancestral lineage.
Order DNA origin analysisMacNelly: Where does the name MacNelly come from?
The last name MacNelly is most commonly found in the United States. According to the 2018 US Census, there were 8,743 people in the country bearing the surname MacNelly. The majority of MacNelly's in the US (54%) live in the New England region, with the states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island having the highest population of the surname. Other New England states with high populations include Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire.
Beyond New England, the states of Pennsylvania (11%), Florida (5%) and New Jersey (3%) have the next highest populations of MacNelly’s. The rest of the population is spread out throughout the United States, with around 10% of the surname’s population being found in the South, Mid-Atlantic and Western regions.
The surname MacNelly is reportedly of Scottish origin. It is speculated to derive from the Gaelic phrase “Mac an Fhile,” which means “Son of the Likeable One.” Throughout the years, the name has seen various variations, such as MacNail, McNeilly and McNally. Aside from the United States, MacNelly is also common in other countries with large Scottish populations, such as Canada and Australia.
Variations of the surname MacNelly
The surname MacNelly is a Gaelic (or Irish) surname of ancient origins. It usually consists of the prefix "Mac" meaning "son of" and the surname Neill, which is a Gaelic version of the name Nigel or Neal. MacNelly is an Anglicized form of this surname, which is sometimes spelt as Mac Néill, MacNeill or MacNeillie, MacNeillay, MacNeille, McNeilly, McNally and even MacNally.
MacNelly is most commonly found in the regions of Donegal and surrounding counties in Ireland. It is also found in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and may have derived from Scottish immigrants to Ireland in historic times. The exact date of origin of the name is not known, but it has been in existence in some form since at least the 15th century.
There are multiple variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin as MacNelly. In Irish Gaelic, the prefix "Mac" is usually changed to "Ó" (meaning "grandson of") while the name "Neill" can also be spelled as "Niall" or "Néill". These variants include MacNeill, MacNeillay, MacNeille, McNeilly, and MacNally, among others.
In Scotland, the surname is more commonly known as McNeill and McNelly. The Scots Gaelic spelling is "Mac Néill" or "Mac neill". Variants with the same meaning include MacNeale, MacNeal, MacNeall, MacNealis, MacNeil, MacNeillis.
In other English-speaking countries, such as the US, Canada, and Australia, the surname has been anglicized to McNally, another popular version of the surname.
In conclusion, the surname MacNelly along with its many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin are found in various parts of the world. It has its roots in the Gaelic culture and although it is of ancient origin, it has not lost its relevance in the 21st century.
Famous people with the name MacNelly
- Jeff MacNelly: Pulitzer Prize-winning comic strip artist known for his work on the strip Shoe.
- Jeff T. MacNelly: American writer and executive producer of the animated television series The Boondocks.
- Richard MacNelly: American judge who served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit from 2003 to 2011.
- Patrick MacNelly- Former NCAA hockey player and retired professional hockey player in the American Hockey League, who played in the 1993 and 1994 Stanley Cup Finals.
- Bart MacNelly: American cartoonist and comic strip artist best known for his work on the strip Pluggers.
- Neil MacNelly: Former English footballer who played for a number of teams in the English Football League from 1988 to 2002.
- Steven MacNelly: New Zealand politician who was a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives from 1993 to 2000.
- Ian MacNelly: Retired English footballer who made over 140 appearances in the Football League for various clubs.
- Tom MacNelly: American artist, known primarily for his emotionally charged, strongly rendered representational drawings of the human figure.
- William MacNelly- Former professional Scottish footballer who spent the majority of his career playing for English Football League clubs.