Surname Crolly - Meaning and Origin

Crolly: What does the surname Crolly mean?

The last name Crolly is of Irish origin. The surname is derived from the Gaelic phrase "croligh", which translates to western. The surname was probably given to a family that originated from the west of Ireland or from counties located to the west of Ireland.

The most prominent bearers of the surname first appeared in County Donegal in the 17th century. This is likely due to the Crolly family’s long association with the McSorley family, whose seat of power was located in this county. The McSorley family is thought to have come into possession of a deed from a Richard Crolly in 1583.

There are several variations of the name spelling, including Crolley, Crally, Cralley, Crolle, Croly, Crolee, and Croly. The name is also found in Scotland, where it was adopted by some Scots in the 1700s who had connections to Ireland.

The current meaning of the surname Crolly is "western" or "from the west". This evoke a sense of the original Irish Gaelic roots of the name as well as a hint of a strong connection to the west of Ireland. The history of the Crolly family is intricately intertwined with the history and culture of Donegal and the western part of Ireland.

Crolly: Where does the name Crolly come from?

The last name Crolly is most commonly associated with Ireland. This name is associated with the Irish surname O'Crualaoi, which is Gaelic for "descendant of Crualaoi". This last name originated in County Cork, a county in south-west Ireland, and spread throughout the island. Crolly is also a distinctive surname in the Province of Leinster, which is located in the eastern part of the island.

The Crolly name is still common in Ireland today. It is, not surprisingly, particularly common in the Counties of Cork and Leinster. This connection to the east of the island is present in many of the variants of the surname, such as Crawley, Carrol, Carroll, Corry, and Curley.

The Crolly name has also spread to countries outside of Ireland, where it is still common today. Countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom all have significant numbers of people of Irish descent, and thus share the surname. For instance, according to FamilySearch, in the United States alone, there are over 2,000 people with the Crolly surname.

The last name Crolly is still quite common today, with many of its bearers residing both in Ireland and in countries around the world. This indicates the international reach of Irish culture, and the global impact of the Irish diaspora.

Variations of the surname Crolly

The surname Crolly is derived from the Irish Gaelic "MacCrobhaill", and is closely associated with the northern Irish province of Ulster. It has a variety of spellings and variants, and is also transliterated in other languages or countries.

The spelling of Crolly is also seen as Crolly, Croughley, Croley, Crally, Crawley and Craly, and alternate spellings include Cruilly, Croully, Crawly, Craulley, Crailey. All of these variants can be found in Scotland, Ireland, England, Canada and the United States.

The prefix "Mac" is sometimes seen in the spelling, as in MacCrolly, MacCroley, MacCrawley and MacCrauly. The Gaelic spelling "MacRobhaill" is also used, with "Robhaill" being the root of the surname Crolly.

In other parts of the world, the name Crolly is sometimes spelled Croly, Croley, Crowley, Crawly, Croughley, or Croully. In Italy, the name is sometimes spelled Crocielli or Croccoletti, and in France it is spelled Croly, Croilly, Crolyne, and Cruille.

The Crolly surname is also found with other variations around the world. In Germany it is found as Krolly, Krallen, Kraller, Krähler or Kräller. In the Netherlands it is spelled Krol and Kroly, and in Spain the name is Crollo or Croyle.

Many of these variants may only be found in their respective countries, while others may have spread to other parts of the world with the migration of people.

Famous people with the name Crolly

• Jonathan Crolly: American actor, known for his roles in television shows like Modern Family and Suburgatory.
• David Crolly: Canadian MPP from the Liberal party, known for his advocacy of renewable energy.
• Darren Crolly: Australian Director of Photography, notable for his work on the TV series Friends.
• Kirby Crolly: Canadian actor, best known for his roles in the films Bloodsuckers and Freeze Frame.
• Tony Crolly: Irish politician, former member of the Seanad Éireann from the Fine Gael political party.
• Frank Crolly: Irish professional footballer; played for clubs like Dundalk F.C., Drogheda United, and Sligo Rovers.
• Os Crolly: American musician, singer and songwriter, noted for his work with the band The White Stripes.
• Dan Crolly: American artist, known for his abstract expressionistic paintings.
• A.J. Crolly: British TV and Film Director, notable for his work on the films Sightseers and Submarine.
• Eddie Crolly: Irish powerboat racing champion, won the 2019 F2 Powerboat World Championships.

Other surnames

CrollCrollie