Surname Munnelly - Meaning and Origin
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Munnelly: What does the surname Munnelly mean?
The last name Munnelly is an Irish surname that has roots in ancient Gaelic names. The original Gaelic form of the name was O Muineallaigh, with ‘O’ meaning descendant. There are two possible translations of the name, including ‘descendant of the Munellaigh’ and ‘descendant of the little mill’.
The surname is thought to have come from a Gaelic word, derived from ‘muin’ which means mill. As such, many sources suggest that it was initially used as a nickname for someone who lived or worked at a mill. This interpretation of the name fits with the alternate translation of the surname as ‘descendant of the little mill’.
The name Munnelly is most common in western Ireland, particularly the province of Connacht. It is believed that the first person to take the name was Domhnall O Muineallaigh, who was from County Galway in the 16th century.
The pronunciation of the surname may vary according to your specific dialect. It is also important to note that there is a slightly different version of the name in Scotland, which is spelled, Munnelly or Monnelly.
Overall, the name Munnelly is an old Irish surname with ancient Gaelic roots. Its literal translation means ‘descendant of the little mill’, though other sources suggest it was used as a nickname for someone who lived or worked at a mill. The name is most common in western Ireland, with the first known user of the surname, Domhnall O Muineallaigh, dating from the 16th century.
Order DNA origin analysisMunnelly: Where does the name Munnelly come from?
The last name Munnelly is most common in Ireland, especially in the Irish Midlands. It is also common in the Australian state of Victoria.
In Ireland, the name Munnelly is particularly associated with County Roscommon. It is the most common surname in the town of Ballaghaderreen, where almost 30% of the population is recorded as having the Munnelly surname. The name is also common in nearby Boyle, Carrick-on-Shannon, and Elphin. It is likely that the surname originated in the Irish Midlands and moved to other parts of the country over time.
In Victoria, Australia, the surname has been present since the 19th century, when Irish immigrants arrived in the area. It is most common in the rural towns of Euroa and Avenel, where the surname is shared by a significant number of households.
Today, the surname Munnelly can be found in other parts of the world, particularly in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Australia. The name is also connected to prominent Irish-American families, such as the Munnelly family of Long Island.
Variations of the surname Munnelly
Munnelly is an Irish surname and belongs to the Ó Maonaigh clan. Variants and spellings of the Munnelly surname include Monelly, O'Monelly, O'Munally, O'Monellaigh, and O'Munellaigh.
The original form of the Munnelly surname is O'Maonaigh, which is an Anglicized form of the Irish Ó Maonaigh. This surname is derived from the Gaelic personal name Maonach, which is composed of two elements, "maon" meaning 'bare' or 'sparse', and "ach" which is likely to be derived from the Irish god Donn or the medieval title ‘aenach‘. The O'Maonaigh clan was an ancient Irish clan that lived in the south-east of Ireland in what is now County Wexford.
Variations of the name appear throughout the Irish language. "Maonaigh", "Munaogh", and "Munnaigh" are all phonetic variations of the original Gaelic "Ó Maonaigh". The name "Munnelly", has been derived from the Irish "Maonaigh". In the Irish language, the letter "M" can also be substituted for a "W" or "ua" which can add a rolling effect to the pronunciation of the surname. This is why prefixes such as Mac, Mc, and M” can often be added, resulting in more surnames like MacMunnelly, McMunnaigh, and Munnilowe.
In addition, many families have migrated to different parts of the world, so variations of the Munnelly surname may be found in other languages. For example, "Munanely" is a variant found amongst the Spanish population. In other languages, the Munnelly surname can be spelled, "Munally" or "Munalle".
The Munnelly surname has been relatively widespread in Ireland for centuries and is still found in several parts of the country today.
Famous people with the name Munnelly
- Padraig Munnelly, Irish musician and singer-songwriter
- Jim Munnelly, American college basketball coach
- John Munnelly, Irish politician
- Patrick Munnelly, Irish politician
- Dennis Munnelly, Irish singer and songwriter
- Lawrence Munnelly, British medical doctor
- Peter Munnelly, American television director
- Steve Munnelly, British television presenter
- Ged Munnelly, Irish politician
- Joe Munnelly, American television executive