Surname Heily - Meaning and Origin
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Heily: What does the surname Heily mean?
The last name Heily is of German origin and is a variant of Heil. It is derived from a combination of two elements of the German language, the first being 'Heilig', which means 'Holy'. The second is '-e', which is a diminutive suffix.
Heily can be found throughout Germany and Austria, and those who bear the last name could have likely originated in a geographical area called the Holy Roman Empire.
The individuals who bear Heily today are likely descendants of those who were part of the governing hierarchies of these Empires, as the name itself suggests nobility. It can also imply a sense of trustworthiness, as the German word ‘heil’ is also synonymous with safety, well-being and blessings.
Given that the name is of German origin, those who bear it tend to have Bavarian, Norse or Teutonic connections. Additionally, the name Heily has been found to be relatively popular in the United States among recent immigrants.
Ultimately, the significance of the last name Heily is rooted in its German origin, and could be associated with notions of nobility, trustworthiness, and well-being. It is one of many last names that are steeped in history and has been embedded in many different cultural and geographical regions.
Order DNA origin analysisHeily: Where does the name Heily come from?
The last name Heily is most commonly found in the United States, though it has roots in Germanic and Dutch origins. It is a popular surname in some areas of the Midwest, especially in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Illinois. Heily is also fairly common in the New England region of the United States, especially in Massachusetts. It is an uncommon name elsewhere, although there are some scattered records in other parts of the country. Outside of America, Heily is most commonly found in Canada, predominantly in the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. Records also exist in parts of Europe, especially in Germany but also in the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and Sweden. These tend to be individuals of personal or ancestral connection to the United States, rather than towns or communities with strong Heily populations.
Variations of the surname Heily
The surname Heily has numerous variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Some of these include Healy, O'Healy, O'Haly, Haily, O'Heiligh, Heiligh, Heilleigh and O'Heilleigh. The surname is of Irish and Scottish origin.
In Ireland, the Heily surname is derived from the Gaelic name Mac Giolla Eoin, and the meaning of the name is “son of the servant of John”. In Scotland, Heily is a variant of the name Healy which is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name O hEilidhe, which is derived from the word 'eilidh' meaning “devotee” or “protector”.
In some instances, the variant Heally is used while in other cases the name is spelled simply as Heil, Halley, Hull and Hyll.
The Heilys are believed to have been scattered across Ireland with many now living in County Mayo, County Dublin, County Cork and County Wexford while other branches of the same family have settled in Scotland where each branch has adopted different variations of the surname.
The Heilys are believed to have also settled in areas of America, Canada and England, often spelling the name differently depending on the areas in which they settled.
In summary, the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Heily include Healy, O'Healy, O'Haly, Haily, O'Heiligh, Heiligh, Heilleigh, O'Heilleigh, Heally, Heil, Halley, Hull and Hyll.
Famous people with the name Heily
- Kelly Heily: American actress, credited with roles in “The Lil’ Bita Vampire” and the TV series “The New Adventures of Old Christine”.
- William Heily: Professor of Law at Fordham University, specialising in Tax Law and Environmental Law.
- Heather Heily: Professional mountain biker and model born and based in the United States.
- Ashley Heily: American equestrian show jumping and dressage athlete, holder of six gold medals in the FEI World Cup championship, and the 2013 Grand Championship Winner of the Rolex Central Park Horse Show.
- Paul Heily: Award-winning British film and voice actor, known for his role in Amazon’s “The Grand Tour” and “Dr Who”.
- Joe Heily: NFL defensive back who played one season for the Tennessee Titans.
- Steve Heily: former Major League Baseball first baseman for the Colorado Rockies and the St. Louis Cardinals.
- Shannon Heily: professional golfer from Ireland, currently competing on the Telia Tour.
- Deborah Heily: Canadian lawyer and Democrat, currently serving as CEO and president of the International Mothers Organization.
- Dana Heily: American Winery owner and sommelier, owner and co-founder of Heily Wines, and founder of the New York Sommeliers Association.