Surname McNele - Meaning and Origin

McNele: What does the surname McNele mean?

The last name McNele does not have a specific, documented meaning in genealogy or historical records. Like many surnames of Gaelic origin, it typically suggests Irish or Scottish ancestry. The prefix "Mc" or "Mac" means "son of" in both Scottish and Irish Gaelic. The second part of the name, "Nele", could be a personal name or descriptive term, but its specific meaning or origin is not clear. It's possible that it has been altered or anglicized over time. Therefore, McNele could possibly mean "son of Nele." Without more information or context, a definitive interpretation cannot be provided.

McNele: Where does the name McNele come from?

The surname McNele or McNell is likely derived from Scottish or Irish Gaelic origins. It seems to be a variant of the surname MacNeil, which is derived from the Gaelic Mac Néill meaning ‘son of Niall’. This implies that the first who bore the name were likely descendants of a man named Niall. However, given the low prevalence of the surname McNele in current databases and its variations in spellings, determining its exact origins is challenging.

As of now, the surname McNele or its variations is not particularly common anywhere. The surname MacNeil holds more prevalence, especially in Scotland due to the historical Clan MacNeil of Barra, and also in Northern Ireland. However, like many surnames of Gaelic origin, you might also find carriers of the name in countries such as the USA, Canada, and Australia among the descendants of those who emigrated during the time of the Highland Clearances in Scotland (late 18th to mid-19th century) or the Irish famine (mid-19th century). Nevertheless, available data does not point to a significant concentration of the name McNele in these or any specific regions today.

Variations of the surname McNele

The surname McNele could be a misspelling, as there are very few records of this specific spelling. Therefore, it seems to be a very rare name, but it could potentially derive from various Irish or Scottish surnames.

Probable variants could include McNiel, McNeill, McNeal, McNell and McNeil. These are all midland and southern variants of the Scottish surname MacNeill, which stems from a Gaelic name Mac Néill or "Mac Niadhail". This roughly translates to "son of Niall" or "son of Niadhail".

There are some variants of the name without the "Mac" prefix, for example Neale, Neal, Neill, Neil and Nel.

There are also notable regional variants, connected to specific geographical areas in Scotland. For example, in the Isles of Barra and Gigha the name was MacNeill, while in Argyll and Antrim it became MacNeille.

One should be careful, as the name McNeill and its variants can also be unrelated to the “Mac Niall” name, in those cases it can derive from the name “Mac an Fhailghigh” which roughly translates to "son of the poor man". There are multiple origins and branches of this surname, making it a complex and rich family name.

Famous people with the name McNele

• Beauty guru and TikTok star, Charli D’Amelio McNele
• Professional golfer Mark McNelley
• Television actress and singer, Kelli McNeil
• Boxing trainer, Bob McNeel
• Artist Jean McNeil
• Professional surfer, Jackson McNelley
• Jazz trumpeter, Colin McNeil
• American football player, Ed McNeil
• NHL player, Bill McNeil
• Snowboarding champion, Mitch McNeil

Other surnames

McNelly