Surname McNelly - Meaning and Origin

McNelly: What does the surname McNelly mean?

The last name McNelly is of Irish origin and is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Mac an Fhailghigh" which translates to ‘son of the poor man’. Similar to many Irish last names, McNelly begins with "Mac" or "Mc" which means "son of", indicating a patriarchal lineage. The meaning of 'poor man' is not related to an individual's material wealth, but might have been used metaphorically to describe a humble or spiritual person. The name has various spellings including MacAnelly, MacEnelly, McAnelly, among others. It was originally found primarily in the regions of Ulster and Connacht in Ireland. It is important to understand that the interpretation of the surname could vary and the aforementioned context is a commonly accepted interpretation based on historical and linguistic studies.

McNelly: Where does the name McNelly come from?

The surname McNelly is of Irish origin. It's derived from the Gaelic cellach, meaning ‘brilliant' or 'bright-headed', and is often prefixed by 'Mac' or 'Mc' which means 'son of'. Hence, it literally translates to 'son of the bright-headed one'.

The McNelly family was part of the community in Ulster, one of the provinces in Ireland. Over time, their descendants spread across different regions of the world due to events like the Great Famine in the 19th century, and the subsequent mass emigration. Today, people with the McNelly surname can be found in many countries, but it's most common in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Despite this diaspora, McNelly remains firmly anchored to its Irish roots.

It’s noteworthy to mention that the exact spelling of the surname can vary due to regional dialects and phonetic transcriptions. The name can also be found as McAnally, McAnelly, McInelly or McEnelly. The composition Scotland also notes a MacIneillie clan, which might be a Scottish variation of the name.

Variations of the surname McNelly

The surname McNelly has a few variations and spellings some of which include: McNally, McAnally, McAnelly, MacNally, and MacNelly. These variants arise due to regional differences or pronunciation preferences. For instance, the prefix "Mac" or "Mc" both mean "Son of" in Irish and Scottish, therefore McNelly and MacNelly are essentially the same surname, just spelled differently. Sometimes, the 'a' may be added as in McAnally or McAnelly. These are phonetic variations with the same root origin.

Additionally, the surname McNelly could possibly be a variant of the Irish surnames O’Niall, MacNeill or O’Neill, which were sometimes anglicized as Neal, Neill, or Neil and have similar pronunciation. McNeil or McNeill could also be potential variations of the same origin as McNelly.

It should be kept in mind that due to the nature of oral traditions and varying literacy levels throughout history, numerous spelling variations of the same original surname are entirely possible and common.

Famous people with the name McNelly

1.Stephen McNelly: An American actor best known for roles in films such as Grease 2, Born Again and Mutant. 2.Dylan McNelly: An American professional soccer player for Orange County SC. 3.Steve McNelly: An American author, lecturer, and pastor. 4.Sean McNelly: An American reality TV personality who starred on "The Real World: Boston." 5.Craig McNelly: An American former professional basketball player who played in the Continental Basketball Association. 6.Kezie McNelly: An Australian actor, screenwriter, and producer who appeared in films such as Riot and Red Billabong. 7.Dan McNelly: An American Major League Baseball pitcher. 8.Sean McNelly: An American producer and director. 9.Ashley McNelly: An American mixed martial artist who competed in the UFC. 10.Sammy McNelly: An American country music singer.

Other surnames

McNele