BEGLEY
Begley is a surname of Irish origin, anglicised from the Gaelic patronym Ó Beaglaoich. The element beag means “small” or “little”, while laoch denotes “hero” or “warrior”. Consequently the surname is interpreted as “descendant of the little hero”.
The name originates from the Gaelic-speaking regions of the British Isles, particularly the Republic of Ireland. It is associated with the ancient Celtic peoples of the area and has been adopted in Christian contexts throughout its history.
Historically, the Begley sept was based in the barony of Kilmacrenan in County Donegal. The placename Tulloghobegley, a parish within the same barony, records the family’s long‑term presence in the region. A branch of the clan also settled in County Cork, where they were closely linked with the MacSweeneys as gallowglasses during the late 15th century. Over time, the surname spread into other parts of Munster, especially County Kerry, and remains common in that province today.
Recorded instances of the surname span several centuries. The earliest verified spelling appears as Begaley in a 1561 christening at St. Martin in the Fields, Westminster, chronicled during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Subsequent notable bearers include Conor Begley, who assisted in publishing Hugh Mac Curtin’s English‑Irish dictionary in Paris in 1732, and Henry Begley (d. 1895), a landscape painter from County Limerick.
Over the years the surname has acquired several orthographic variants, such as Beagley, Beegley, Bigley and Begly. These variations reflect differences in regional pronunciation and the evolution of English spelling. The core spelling Begley remains the most widely used form in modern Ireland and abroad.
Migration, particularly during the Great Famine of the mid‑19th century, dispersed the name across the English‑speaking world. Today contiguous communities of people bearing the surname can be found in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, although it continues to be most prevalent in Ireland, especially in County Kerry.
Typical given names associated with the Begley surname
Male
- Anthony
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Ann
- Anne
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Fiona
- Helen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Begley in...
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There are approximately 2,248 people named Begley in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,821st most common surname in Britain. Around 35 in a million people in Britain are named Begley.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Begley
- Órfhlaith Begley - Politician
- Thomas Begley - Irish Republican (1970 to 1993)
- Andrea Begley - Irish singer
- Michael Begley - Actor and writer
- Philomena Begley - Irish singer
- Stephen Begley - Scottish rugby union player (1975 to 2017)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.