FEELY

Feely is a surname of Irish origin, appearing in historical records as an anglicised form of several Gaelic names associated with distinct meanings and geographical roots.

The earliest documented derivation is from the Gaelic Ó Fithcheallaigh, meaning “descendant of Fithcheallach”. The personal byname *Fithcheallach* is believed to derive from the word *fithcheall*, referring to a chess‑like board game that was played in ancient Ireland. In this context, the name literally signifies “one who practises chess”. Variants of this version include Feely, Fealy, Feeley, Feehily and Field. The surname in this form was historically associated with the Corca Laoidh in south‑west Cork, with territorial holdings in Ardfield and Clonakilty. Prominent members of this sept were Maurice O' Fihily (d. 1516), Archbishop of Tuam, and Maurice O' Fihelly (d. 1559), Bishop of Ross. A 1584 Fiant Paper records two O' Fihellys alias Field, indicating an early English substitution of the name. By the early 17th century the family had expanded into north Connacht and Donegal, where Reverend James Feeley (1799–1875) served as Dean of Raphoe.

Another recognised derivation of Feely is from the Gaelic Ó Faoileagáin, a patronymic meaning “descendant of the seagull”. The noun *faoileag* means “seagull”, a bird symbolically associated with power, quality and divine messengership in Irish folklore. The Ó Fuadlaigh sept, bearing this name, was situated at Sliabh na mBan near Athenry in County Galway. Survey maps such as Petty's 1659 exhibit a place‑name “Feely” in County Mayo, underscoring the surname’s long presence in Connacht, the province stretching from Kilkenny to Galway and encompassing the counties of Mayo, Sligo, Roscommon, Galway and Leitrim. Historical chronicles attribute the surname to the southern part of Connacht in the 16th century, and figure such as Robert Feely, noted as an early governor of Connacht in 1614, are recorded as notable bearers of the name.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, many Irish emigrants adopted the form Feely when settling abroad, resulting in its current distribution across Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Canada and other parts of the world. Contemporary estimates place the worldwide population of individuals bearing the surname at more than three thousand.

Variations in spelling are numerous, reflecting historical orthographic practices and regional dialects. These include Feely, Fealey, Fealy, Feeley, Feehily, Field, Fihelly, Feogley, Fial, Fahey, Foy and Faile. The surname is occasionally encountered as a given name, particularly in the United Kingdom, where it can also be seen as a variant of the English name Faith.

Typical given names associated with the Feely surname

Male

• David
• James
• John
• Mark
• Martin
• Michael
• Patrick
• Paul
• Peter
• Thomas

Female

• Angela
• Ann
• Anne
• Carol
• Claire
• Elizabeth
• Emma
• Jacqueline
• Margaret
• Mary
• Maureen
• Samantha
• 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 Feely in...

Braille

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Morse

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Semaphore

Origin: Celtic

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: Ireland

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: Gaelic

Famous people named Feely

• Terence Feely - Screenwriter and author (1928 to 2000)
• Peter Feely - Football player

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.

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