Surname Knally - Meaning and Origin

Knally: What does the surname Knally mean?

The last name Knally is an Irish surname of Norman origin. It has been found throughout various parts of Ireland and England. It is derived from the old French first name Anable, which means “one who rules”. This name was given to those of the Norman settlers who arrived in Ireland after the 1170 Norman Invasion.

The name Knally is mainly found in the County Galway area of Ireland. It is still popularly used in the Western Irish counties such as Galway, Mayo, and other parts of the country. The name tends to be more common among those of Irish Catholic and Gaelic descent.

The Knally surname is often associated with the influences of the Norman British in the Western parts of Ireland. It is also seen as a link between the Gaels and transplanted Normans who sought a better life in Ireland. As a result, the usage and spelling of the surname has varied over the years.

The Knally surname, which means “the ruling one”, is a reminder of the Norman Invasion and its affects on the local population and culture. Its legacy as a family name has certainly left its mark in the Irish regions, particularly those in the west of the country. Those with the surname remain closely tied to their Norman and Gaelic roots, and their place in the Irish history.

Knally: Where does the name Knally come from?

The last name Knally is primarily found in the United States. The 2020 Census data from the United States indicates there are 56 people with the last name Knally living in the United States. The majority of these individuals live in states along the northeastern seaboard, including New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. The highest density of individuals with the last name Knally is found in Litchfield County, Connecticut.

Knally is classified as an Irish surname. In the early 1800s, many Irish families immigrated to the United States in order to escape a life of poverty in their homeland. This period of history is commonly referred to as the Irish immigration diaspora. These individuals used various methods to persuade their American counterparts that they should be granted the right to make a new life in the New World. Consequently, the Irish surname Knally was spread through several generations throughout the United States.

In modern times, the last name Knally is most commonly found in the northeastern United States of America. People with this name work in a variety of professional industries. A cursory internet search reveals that individuals with this surname are employed as bill collectors, secretaries, firefighters, and even educators. This data suggests that the last name Knally is an ambitious one that is shared among a wide variety of individuals in the United States.

Variations of the surname Knally

The surname Knally is of Irish origin, and is an Anglicized version of the Gaelic “Ó Nualláin” or “O'Nally”. This surname originated in County Mayo, where the O'Nally sept had been located since the late thirteenth century.

Typically, Knally is spelled with a double “L”, however there are some variants of the spelling that can appear with one, three, or four “Ls”:

• Knally

• Knaly

• Knaelly

• Knalley

• Knallye

There are also Irish variations of the surname that are still in use, such as:

• Ó Nualláin

• Nally

• Nilley

• Nollane

• Nollahan

The surname Nally and Nilley can be seen in Ireland mostly in counties Mayo, Monaghan, and Cork. Other surnames related to or derived from the O'Nally sept are:

• Naughton

• Nohilly

• Nohilly-Scott

• Nowlan

• Nowland

• Noyland

• Nunlly

• Nolan

• Nolam

Other spellings or forms of the surname related to the Irish sept could be the names Knowlan, Nowlen, or Nowling.

The surname Knally is rarely seen outside of Ireland, however it is not unusual for it to crop up in different variations or spellings in other countries. With the spread of the Irish around the world, the surname has crossed into new countries and been adopted into new spellings along the way.

Famous people with the name Knally

• Gerry Knally: PGA Tour golfer
• Mary Knally: American Actress
• Stephen Knally: Irish hurler
• Martin Knally: New Zealand Rugby League wing
• Michael Knally: Former member of the fading Irish Pop Group
• Cornelius Knally: Former lead of the Irish Rock Band
• Derek Knally: Lead singer in well-known folk band
• Kevin Knally: American Actor
• Bob Knally: Major league baseball pitcher
• Mark Knally: Former NBA player
• Brown Knally: Professional hockey player
• John Knally: British Army Officer

Other surnames

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