Surname Menealy - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
Menealy: What does the surname Menealy mean?
The last name Menealy is of Irish origin and is most commonly found in counties Cork and Tipperary. It is derived from the Gaelic "Ó Mainnín" meaning "the one from the small mountain". It is believed that the family originates from the area called Menealy Hill, located in Rathgormack in County Waterford.
The Menealy family has been traced back to some of the earliest inhabitants of Ireland and it is believed that they are descendants of the ancient Celtic clans of Munster. They were known to be part of a powerful ruling class and their name has many associative meanings - strength, ambition and leadership.
Today, the Menealy family lives all over the world but a large population still resides in Ireland and particularly in the midlands of the country. Some of the most famous members of the Menealy family include Thomas Menealy, an Irish political leader from the early 20th century, and Sean Menealy, an international rugby player who moved to Australia in the 1970s.
In summary, the last name Menealy carries with it a long tradition of power, strength and leadership that dates back centuries. It is also a reminder of the family’s noble origins from ancient Celtic clans in the midlands of Ireland.
Order DNA origin analysisMenealy: Where does the name Menealy come from?
Menealy is common primarily in Ireland, with a few families also found in England, Scotland, Wales and the United States. The name is believed to have originated in the county of Cork in Ireland, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. Within Ireland, the name is most often found in the Province of Munster, in the counties of Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, Limerick, Clare and Waterford.
In England, Menealy can be found particularly in the counties of Wiltshire, Hampshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire and Kent. In Scotland, the name is recorded in Lanarkshire and Fife, as well as in neighbouring Ayrshire, while in Wales it is found in Glamorganshire. In the United States, Menealy is mostly found in states including Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Michigan and California.
Menealy is an uncommon name, and there are currently no exact numbers relating to its total population worldwide. Though today it is more likely to be found outside of Ireland than it was when first recorded, it remains most common in its ancestral homelands.
Variations of the surname Menealy
Menealy is an anglicised version of the Irish surname Ó Maonaigh, which is derived from the Gaelic word ‘maonach’ meaning ‘noble’. It is most commonly found in counties Mayo and Sligo. Variations, spelling and surnames of the same origin include the following:
-Mooney (Maní in Irish)
-Maney
-Mainey
-Money
-Mannix
-Mannagh
-Mannich
-Manigs
-Mannex
-Manx
-Maone
-Maonig
-Maonagh
-Monigh
-Monig
-Meany
-Menealy
-O'Monigh
-O'Monig
-O'Maonaigh
The majority of these variations are derived from either the Irish Ó Maonaigh or the Maní set of names. It is possible to find a combination of both the Irish and English variants of the Menealy surname, which is often the result of Irish immigrants adding an ‘O’ before their surname when arriving in Britain or America. One example of this could be the O'Menealy surname.
Overall, the original Menealy and all of its variations, spellings and surnames of the same origin are an interesting reflection of the blended cultures of the Irish and English diaspora.
Famous people with the name Menealy
- John Menealy: owner of Menealy Bicycle and Auto Co. and one of the pioneers of the early bicycle industry.
- Michael Menealy: Irish artist known for his depictions of the Irish countryside.
- Margaret Menealy: actress who appeared on Broadway during the early to mid-20th century.
- Robert Menealy: American World War I hero and founder of the Alliance of American Veterans.
- Andrew Menealy: co-founder and CEO of the real estate development firm Men Property Solutions.
- David Menealy: Irish historian who wrote extensively on the Irish Revolutionary period.
- Mary Menealy: Director of Strategy and Performance for the UK public sector.
- Julia Menealy: barrister specializing in public and human rights law.
- Brian Menealy: Irish novelist and playwright, author of several works of fiction and theatre.
- Craig Menealy: American college basketball player for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels.