Donnelly Family Crest and Surname Origin
A short guide to the Donnelly surname: its meaning, its roots in Ireland, and its heraldry.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Donnelly coat of arms for you.
Origin of the Donnelly name
Donnelly anglicises Ó Donnghaile, "descendant of Donnghal", a name made of donn, "brown", and gal, "valour". The family belonged to the Cenél nEógain and was settled at Ballydonnelly, near Dungannon in County Tyrone, where its leaders served as marshals of the O'Neills. The name is still most common in Tyrone and the surrounding counties.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Donnelly name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Donnelly name in Ireland. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, England and Scotland; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full Donnelly family history
The researched Donnelly pack traces meaning, early bearers and migration routes, and includes a personalized Donnelly coat of arms.
Donnelly name FAQ
What does the Donnelly name mean?
Descendant of Donnghal ("brown valour"). Common variants include O'Donnelly, Donelly, Donley.
Where does the Donnelly surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, England and Scotland.
Is there a Donnelly coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Donnelly crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Donnelly coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.