CONNELLY
Connelly is a surname of Irish provenance, originating in the Gaelic language of the Celtic peoples of the British Isles. The name traces back to the tribal prefix Ó, meaning “male descendant of,” combined with the personal by‑name Conghalaigh. The constituent elements of this by‑name derive from con, a hound, and gal, bravery or valour, rendering the full meaning “Descendant of the Hound of Valour.”
The earliest recorded instance of the family name appears in a 1591 fiant, where Tirlogh O'Connola is noted as Chief and Vice‑Marshal to MacMahon in Co. Monaghan. This early documentary source places the name firmly within the annals of Irish dynastic history during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the so‑called “Good Queen Bess.”
Historically the Ó Conghail sept was situated in the province of Connacht, and later diversified into three principal branches. The chief line settled in County Meath and was notable as one of the “Four Tribes of Tara.” These tribes shared the ancient seat of the High Kings on the Hill of Tara. The second line occupied the old Kingdom of Oriel, encompassing present-day County Monaghan, where the O'Connolly family ruled alongside the McMahons and McKennas. The third and most distant branch established itself in West Cork, within Munster, adopting the variation O'Coingheallaigh, a form interpreted as “faithful, reliable and diligent.”
In the mid‑nineteenth century, during the Great Potato Famine, many bearers of the name emigrated from Ireland to the United States. A documented example is Margaret Connelly, who departed Liverpool aboard the Rochester bound for New York on 8 May 1846. This wave of migration contributed to the spread of the surname beyond its native island.
Variant spellings of the name include O Connally, Conneely, O Conley and others, reflecting the influence of English orthography on Gaelic nomenclature. The diverse forms also illustrate the geographical dispersion of the sept and its integration into different Irish regions over the centuries.
Typical given names associated with the Connelly surname
Male
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Stephen
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Jacqueline
- Karen
- Linda
- Louise
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Connell
- Connel
- Connal
- Connall
- Conally
- Conaley
- Conaly
- Conalley
- Conaell
- Connella
- Canally
- Caneley
- Canily
- Canley
- Canly
- Cannally
- Cannelly
- Cannoley
- Cannolly
- Canolly
- Cawnley
- Conal
- Conall
- Conallay
- Conealy
- Conel
- Coneley
- Conelius
- Conell
- Conelley
- Conelly
- Conely
- Conil
- Conill
- Conily
- Conlay
- Conle
- Conley
- Conlley
- Conlly
- Conly
- Connaley
- Connalley
- Connally
- Connaly
- Conneally
- Connealy
- Conneeley
- Conneely
- Connele
- Conneley
- Conneli
- Connelle
- Connelley
- Connells
- Connely
- Connerly
- Connery
- Connesly
- Connil
- Connill
- Connilly
- Connily
- Connlay
- Connley
- Connlley
- Connlly
- Connly
- Connol
- Connoley
- Connolley
- Connolloy
- Connolly
- Connoly
- Conol
- Conoley
- Conolley
- Conolly
- Conoly
- Convelly
- Conway
- Counelly
- Counley
- Cownley
- Cownly
- Cunley
- Cunneely
- Cunnelly
- Gaineley
- Gainley
- Gainly
- Ganalay
- Ganley
- Ganly
- Goneley
- Gonley
- Gunelly
- Gunley
- Gunly
- Kanaley
- Kanaly
- Kannoly
- Keanly
- Kenally
- Kenaly
- Kenealey
- Keneally
- Kenealy
- Keneley
- Kenelly
- Kenely
- Kenlay
- Kenley
- Kenly
- Kennaley
- Kennally
- Kenneally
- Kennealy
- Kenneley
- Kennelley
- Kennelly
- Kennely
- Kennilly
- Kennley
- Kinally
- Kinealy
- Kinelly
- Kinlay
- Kinley
- Kinnally
- Kinneally
- Kinnealy
- Kinneley
- Kinnelly
- Kinnley
- Quinily
- Quinley
- Conwell
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Connelly in...
Braille
⠉⠕⠝⠝⠑⠇⠇⠽
Morse
-.-.----.-...-...-..-.--
Semaphore
There are approximately 9,616 people named Connelly in the UK. That makes it the 963rd most common surname in Britain. Around 148 in a million people in Britain are named Connelly.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Connelly
- Jennifer Connelly - American actress
- Chris Connelly - Musician, songwriter, author
- John Connelly - Football player (1938 to 2012)
- Peter Connelly - Video game composer and sound designer
- Sean Connelly - Football player
- George Connelly - Scottish football player
- Charlie Connelly - Writer and broadcaster
- Gordon Connelly - Scottish football player
- Fred Connelly - Football player (1882 to 1)
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.