Surname Monnelly - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
Monnelly: What does the surname Monnelly mean?
The last name Monnelly is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic Ó Manntaille. The prefix Ó is a patronymic meaning ‘descendant of’ and Manntaille is a personal name derived from manntach meaning ‘bold’ or ‘generous’.
The Monnelly surname was likely derived by Irish emigrants who settled in England, Scotland, the United States, New Zealand, and Australia. Like many Irish surnames, the spelling of Monnelly likely changed greatly throughout the emigration process.
Historically, the surname is believed to come from County Wicklow, but the Monnelleys and Monneltons have claimed a connection to the Chief of Hy-Fiachrach Arann in Connaught. The anglicized version of the family name is particularly common in Lancashire, where records for the Monnelly and Monnalley family date back to the 16th century.
Today, the Monnelly surname is quite popular and is found in many countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and New Zealand. The vast majority of people with the Monnelly surname are of Irish origin, given the surname's origin and history.
Order DNA origin analysisMonnelly: Where does the name Monnelly come from?
The last name Monnelly is most common in Ireland, particularly in the Connacht province. The origins of the name are derived from the Gaelic name O'Monnaille or Ó Maonaigh, which translates to "descendant of the noble one."
The last name has been found concentrated in certain areas in Ireland for centuries. For example, census records from 1790 showed that the name was one of the six dominant surnames in the barony of Leitrim in County Leitrim. The Monnelly name was also frequently found in other parts of the counties of Leitrim, Longford and Galway.
In recent times, the name Monnelly has become much less common in Ireland, with much of the population emigrating to other countries. In England, the name is found relatively often in the northern counties, such as Lancashire, Yorkshire and Durham. There are also Monnelly families living in Scotland, mainland Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
In the United States, the Monnelly name is found mainly in the Eastern and Midwestern states, particularly around cities such as Chicago, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Indianapolis and Baltimore. It is not common for the name to be found in the western states.
Tracing the history of the name can help to locate members of this family in different parts of the world today. Research such as baptism and emigration records can help to identify the geographical locations in which this name is most likely to be found today.
Variations of the surname Monnelly
The surname Monnelly is derived from the Irish surname O'Maonaigh which is an anglicised version of the Gaelic name "O'Maoinigh". Variations of the Monnelly surname include: Monley, Monnaly, Monley, Monniely, Monnally, Monnecly, Monnely, Monnelly, Moinigh.
The associated surnames also include MacMonnelly, Moneylly, Monilie, Monnilie, Monneylie, Moodilly, and Munley. These surnames are all associated with the same origin and variations of the Monnelly surname.
The Monnelly spelling can be found in different variations around the world. In Ireland the anglicised spelling Manley is the most common spelling of the Irish form of the name. Manley is derived from the Gaelic name O’Maonaigh. In the United States, the spelling Monnelly is most commonly found. This spelling is derived from the Irish form of the name, and has become the conventional spelling in the United States.
In the UK and Ireland, the Monnelly spelling is widely used. In Australia and New Zealand, the anglicised form of the name Manley is more common.
In some parts of the world, the name has been corrupted to form other surnames such as Mannelly, Mengelly, and Mengely. These surnames are not related to the Monnelly surname though.
Famous people with the name Monnelly
- Conor Monnelly: Irish screenwriter
- John Monnelly: Irish soccer referee
- Patrick Monnelly: American politician and lawyer
- Bud Monnelly: Canadian football player
- Amy Monnelly: American singer-songwriter
- Michael Monnelly: Irish actor
- Vicki Monnelly: Australian actress
- Joe Monnelly: English footballer
- Jeff Monnelly: British entertainer
- Jack Monnelly: British soldier