Surname O'Maonaile - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'O'
O'Maonaile: What does the surname O'Maonaile mean?
The last name O'Maonaile is an Irish surname derived from the Irish word "maonaimh" which means "nobleman". It is an ancient Gaelic name originating from County Mayo, a region in the west of Ireland. The name was first recorded in the 12th century and was most common in Connacht and Ulster.
In Irish names, the prefix "O" or "Mac" usually means "son of" and in the case of O'Maonaile, O' stands for "descendant of". Families bearing the surname O'Maonaile are believed to be descended from a noble family of which the head held a chieftaincy.
The O'Maonaile surname is also found in historical records in Scotland, particularly in the Highlands, where Scottish families of Irish heritage settled. It is likely that the Scottish variant of the name is related to the Irish one, as Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic are both Goidelic languages.
Today, O'Maonaile is a well-known surname in Ireland and Scotland, and it is also common among people of Irish descent all over the world. The descendants of the old Irish nobility have preserved the name, and it continues to be an important part of Irish heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisO'Maonaile: Where does the name O'Maonaile come from?
The last name O'Maonaile is an Irish name. It is thought to originate from the Munster region of Ireland in the southwest of the country, and be a variant of the surname O'Maoineach, meaning "descendant of the brave one." Today, the name is most common in Ireland, though many descendants have spread around the world, particularly to the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In Ireland, most bearers of the name can be found in Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, and Clare.
In the United States, many descendants of Irish immigrants can be found mainly along the east coast, particularly in areas that were popular hubs of Irish immigration in the 18th and 19th centuries, such as New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. The name can also be found in other cities throughout the country such as Chicago and San Francisco. In Australia, it is most prominent in New South Wales and Victoria, with a few in Western Australia and South Australia. In Canada, the name is most prevalent in Ontario and Quebec, while in the United Kingdom, it is mainly found in Northern Ireland.
Variations of the surname O'Maonaile
The various variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname O'Maonaile are varied.
One variant can be Maonale or Maonaile, both of which derive from the Irish Ó Maonaigh. The Irish Gaelic form Ó Maonaigh translates directly to mean "descendant of Maonach", a byname referring to a person's generosity.
Other variants of the O'Maonaile surname are O'Mannelly, Mannelly, Maneely and Manaile. These spellings were most likely created by those who suffered from less common pronunciations of the Irish surname.
Spellings more common in the later 19th century and early 20th century include Manly, Monalee and Manaoile. Such variants were most likely products of Anglicization.
To add to further variation, the O'Maonaile surname has been found to have the forms O'Maunley, Mauley, Monney, Money, Monaile and Mooney in some parts of Ireland. In rare cases, the O'Maonaile surname also goes by O'Dunnelly or Dunnely and Donnelly.
Variations in locations also have yielded different spellings of the O'Maonaile surname, such as Maonaigh and Maeonaigh in Donegal and Dublin respectively.
In short, the various variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname O'Maonaile include Maonale or Maonaile, O'Mannelly, Mannelly, Maneely and Manaile, Manly, Monalee, Manaoile, O'Maunley, Mauley, Monney, Money, Monaile, Mooney, O'Dunnelly or Dunnely, Donnelly, Maonaigh, and Maeonaigh.
Famous people with the name O'Maonaile
- Donal O'Maonaile: Irishman and one of the few non-Romanized Irish people. O'Maonaile was a noted poet, bard, and historian of Irish art, culture and folklore.
- Thomas O'Maonaile: Priest of the diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise in Ireland, playing a key role in getting land returned to local Catholic clergy after the destruction of the sites in Cromwell's campaigns.
- Róisín O'Maonaile: Irish poet, author, and stage actress who was the official poet of the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland.
- Enda O'Maonaile: Irish composer, pianist, and choral conductor who gave many performances across both Ireland and the United States.
- Conor O'Maonaile: Irish revolutionary and politician who was a figurehead of the 1916 Easter Rising alongside Padraig Pearse.
- Seamus O'Maonaile: Irish nationalist and soldier, famously featured in the Battle of the Somme during World War One, where he stepped forward with a flag in order to inspire his troops.
- Ernie O'Maonaile: Irish journalist and sportswriter, renowned for his lively copy and sharp insight into the Irish sporting scene.
- Luan O'Maonaile: Irish film producer responsible for distributing several films about the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
- Conor O'Maonaile: Actor of stage and screen, starring in works by renowned Irish writers such as W.B. Yeats and Sean O'Casey.
- Daisy O'Maonaile: Irish artist, profile in her eponymous portrait series, O'Maonaile Sisters, which explored the lives and experiences of Irish women in the latter part of the twentieth century.