Surname Dayly - Meaning and Origin

Dayly: What does the surname Dayly mean?

The last name Dayly is believed to be of English origin. It is thought to have emerged as a modified version of the name Dailey, which was an old nickname of the English surname for "dapple gray" or "dapple." The name Dailey derived from the Middle English "daele," which referred to a dappled or speckled horse.

The original use of the Dayly surname was sometimes as a mark of ownership for a dappled horse. The family likely acquired the name due to having ownership of this type of horse or being associated with horses in some way. Over time, the name evolved to become a surname used by people to identify themselves as part of a certain family, with Dayly being a variant form of the original surname.

Other variations of Dayly include Daly, Dailey, Dailey, Daile, and Daill. It is most common in the United States, with the highest population in the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

Throughout the centuries, the Dayly surname has been associated with hard work and strong values. These qualities, which have been passed on for generations, were no doubt derived from the family's origins as horse breeders and breeders of other animals used for labor. Today, the surname is still strongly associated with the traits of courage, loyalty, determination, and a strong work ethic.

Dayly: Where does the name Dayly come from?

The surname Dayly is most commonly found today in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The earliest records of this surname can be found in England in the 1600s, although it is presumed to have been in use much earlier. It is not found widely in England- today, the majority of Daylys are located in Lancashire and Yorkshire, and also in South Wales.

In Ireland, Dayly is most concentrated in counties Cork, Limerick, and Waterford. It is also found in parts of the United States and Canada where the name Dayly was brought by Irish and English immigrants during the 1800s. Records in the US show it primarily in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois.

The origin of the Dayly surname is thought to have derived from two sources: either an English place-name of uncertain meaning, or it may have been used as a diminutive form of the name Daly, which was a nickname for David or Dorcas. It became a popular way of distinguishing between a father and a son who had the same given name.

In general, the Dayly name is still common in many countries today, but as the years go on, more and more are adopting the shortened name Daly. Regardless of spelling, both surnames have the same origin, and both can be traced back to the first recordings of the name in England in the 1600s.

Variations of the surname Dayly

The surname Dayly is usually spelled Daly but can also be spelled Dailly, Daily, Dailye, Dalie, Daley, Dally, and Dallye.

The variants of Dayly are generally accepted to have two distinctive origins, Irish and French.

The Irish variants include O’Dalaigh, Ó Dálaigh, Ó Dálaigh, Ó Daillaigh, O’Dalie, Ó Dailligh, Ó Daillighe, Ó dálígh, Ó Daligh and Daley. As the old Gaelic spelling for the name is O’Dalaigh and many Irish variants have been anglicised, it is understandable how the surnames Dayly, Daly, Daily, Dailly, Dailye, Dalie, Daley, Dally and Dallye have been derived from the original Gaelic variant.

The French variants include D’Alia, Lalie, De Lailey, De Lailey, De Lailey, Delailey, Delalie, Taille and De Laie. These have been influenced by a knightly family of French origin named de Arley, from the medieval barony Arley, and later anglicised in England as De Laie, de Lailey, de Laile and De Lally.

Overall, the variants of Dayly demonstrate a broad array of spellings and surnames of the same origin, from the Gaelic and French, as well as anglicised form of the original names.

Famous people with the name Dayly

• Craig Dayly: Craig Dayly is an American actor best known for his roles in television and stage productions such as The West Wing, Abby’s, NCIS, and many others.
• Caleb Dayly: Caleb Dayly is an American football running back who had two stints in the National Football League with the Houston Texans and Oakland Raiders.
• Colin Dayly: Colin Dayly is an American former professional basketball player who played in the NBA and the CBA.
• Brad Dayly: Brad Dayly is an American film director who has directed many films, television series and commercials.
• Patrick Dayly: Patrick Dayly is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling.
• John Dayly: John Dayly was an American basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association in the 1950s.
• William Dayly: William Dayly was an English painter of landscapes and landscapes with figures.
• Frank Dayley: Frank Dayley is an American Short Track Speed Skater who won several international medals.
• Keith Dayly: Keith Dayly was a British actor and voice actor. He was known for providing the voice of "Axel" in the animated television series The Adventures of Peter Pan and acted in a few films about the late 1950s and early 1960s.
• Jamie Dayley: Jamie Dayley is an American country music artist. He has released two albums and has had several songs on the charts.

Other surnames

Dayley