Surname O'Haly - Meaning and Origin

O'Haly: What does the surname O'Haly mean?

The surname O'Haly is an Anglicized form of the Irish name Ó hEalaighthe, which derives from the Gaelic word “ealadhach” meaning "scholarly". This surname is most commonly found in the province of Connacht in the west of Ireland. Historically it was an hereditary surname deriving from the Noble Heberian Sept of Ui Fiachrach, who were descended from a ninth century king of Connacht. The main clan associated with the O’Haly name was the Mac an Sabhaoir, a branch of the O'Hallaigh's (O'Hally's) of North Connacht.

The later descendants of this clan were the Mac an Sabhail, who were found in Counties Mayo and Galway. The original Mac an Sabhail were renowned scholars, with one of them, Feargus O'Haly, being a scribe who wrote the Annals of the Four Masters. This is a famous collection of medieval annals known as the Chronicle of Ireland, written between the years 1632 and 1636, and is considered one of the most important pieces of Irish literature.

The descendants of the O'Hally family are widely spread throughout the world, but it is still most commonly found in areas of Ireland where the Mac an Sabhail (O'Hallys) were established. The name has endured since the medieval period, a sign of the lasting legacy of the O’Hally family.

O'Haly: Where does the name O'Haly come from?

The last name O'Haly is most commonly found today in the United Kingdom and Ireland. This surname can also be found amongst certain families in Portugal, as many of the Irish settlers there in the tenth century brought the name with them.

In the United Kingdom, the O'Haly surname is particularly common in the Scottish Highlands and the Scottish Highlands have a long history of Gaelic and Irish roots. It is believed that the surname first arrived with the Gaels from Ireland at the time of the Norman Conquest and was further propagated throughout Scotland during the Middle Ages.

In Ireland, many of the O'Haly families can be found in County Wexford, which was located in the south east of the country and was once a significant region for Scottish-Irish families. There is evidence that the O'Haly name exists in other Irish counties as well, particularly in Donegal and Cork.

In the United States, those bearing the O'Haly name can predominantly be found near the northeast, east, and southeast coasts. New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland are particularly popular states for families with this surname.

Overall, the O'Haly surname is widespread, but most commonly found amongst families of Irish and Scottish descent in the United Kingdom and Ireland and those of a similar heritage in the United States.

Variations of the surname O'Haly

The surname O'Haly is an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic Ó hAilbhe, and its variants and spellings include O’Hailey, O'Haily, O'Hailie, O’Hally, O’Haly, O'Haillie, Oheilly, O'Haile, Ohaly, O'Heylly, O'Heely, and O'Halloran.

The root of the surname comes from the ancient Irish areal, Ui Ailbhe, which translates to "descendants of Ailbhe" or "clan of Ailbhe". The Ailbhe in this context was an early King of Munster, as noted in the Irish genealogical writings of the 11th century, commonly referred to as the Leabhar na Feinne.

O'Haly is an ancient name traceable to the eleventh century in both Ireland and Scotland, though the full form of the name is rarely seen in Scotland today. Instead, the Scottalich form has taken over. This form, which is seen as O'Hailey in other countries, still preserves the ancient Irish roots.

In England, this name is commonly found as O'Haly and is of Norman-French origin. This version of the name is said to have derived from the name of the Irish nobleman Ailbhe, but it also closely resembles an entire family of French names beginning with "H". These names, including Haly, Halis, Hals, and Hali, are of Germanic origin and have caused some confusion between the two origin stories.

In Ireland, the O'Haly name is most commonly found in the Connacht region and in the counties of Dublin and Meath, as well as in Northern Ireland. It is also present, though not as widespread, in the United States, Canada and elsewhere in the English-speaking world.

Famous people with the name O'Haly

• Shannon O'Haly, American actor and stunt performer
• Pat O'Haly, former American football player
• Jimmy O'Haly, American Major League Baseball pitcher
• Don O'Haly, former American baseball player
• David O'Haly, former American ice hockey player
• Paul O'Haly, Irish baker and businessman
• Mary O'Haly, Irish set and costume designer
• Jarrod O'Haly, Australian artist
• Frank O'Haly, former American society promoter
• Mike O'Haly, former American basketball player
• Devan O'Haly, American video game designer
• Isabella O'Haly, Canadian poet
• Alice O'Haly, Irish theater manager
• Denis O'Haly, Irish actor and playwright
• Tom O'Haly, Irish restaurant owner
• Chris O'Haly, Irish musician
• Mark O'Haly, Irish film director
• James O'Haly, Irish sports commentator
• Sean O'Haly, Irish cricket writer
• Ryan O'Haly, American photographer

Other surnames

O'HaleyO'Halloran