COOLEY
Cooley is a surname that possesses both Gaelic Irish and Anglo‑Saxon origins. It is recorded as a locational name within the British Isles, particularly in England, and is classified under Christian surnames in historical registers.
The Gaelic derivation traces back to the name Ó Cuilleannáin, which means “descendant of Cuilleannán.” The personal name Cuilleannán is a diminutive formation of cuileann, the Irish word for holly. This etymology associates the surname closely with County Louth, where the Cooley Peninsula lends its name to the family.
In Anglo‑Saxon tradition the name arises from a nickname for a swarthy individual. The Old English word colig, meaning dark or black, is a pre‑7th century derivative of col (coal). Thus, the surname could have originally described a person of dark complexion or complexion reminiscent of coal.
Another possible Anglo‑Saxon source is an Anglicised form of the Gaelic names Mac Cuille or Mac Giolla Chuille. Historical records from the 16th century identify this sept in Connacht, with references in fiants involving the counties of Roscommon, Galway and Clare.
Throughout history the modern spelling of the surname has varied. Common variants include Coley, Colley, Cooley, Cowley and Colly. These alternate forms appear in parish registers, legal documents and census records across Ireland and England.
The earliest surviving record of the name in England appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of Yorkshire, dating to 1212, where it is recorded as Hugh Coly during the reign of King John (1199‑1216). In Ireland the name is documented in 1620 with the marriage of Elnor Coleye to Richard Powel at St. John the Evangelist, Dublin, and later in London with the christening of Abraham, son of Anthony and Ann Cooley, on 4 July 1695 at Christchurch, Greyfriars, Newgate.
In the British context the surname is viewed as a toponymic surname, often linked to a geographical feature such as a hill, stream or estate. The religious affiliation recorded for bearers of the surname across both England and Ireland is predominantly Christian. The common tongue used in official documents is English, with occasional use of Gaelic in Irish contexts.
Typical given names associated with the Cooley surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Eve
- Helen
- Lesley
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Nicola
- 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 Cooley in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 1,844 people named Cooley in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,494th most common surname in Britain. Around 28 in a million people in Britain are named Cooley.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Cooley
- David P. Cooley - US Air Force officer (1960 to 2009)
- Norman Cooley - Cricketer
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.