Surname Reilley - Meaning and Origin

Reilley: What does the surname Reilley mean?

The surname Reilley is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Raghallaigh," which translates to "descendant of Raghallach". The prefix "Ó" denotes descendency or "grandson of". The name Raghallach itself is believed to have originated from the elements "ragh" meaning "race" and "ceallach" meaning "sociable". Therefore, the surname Reilley may refer to those who are sociable or outgoing. The name is anglicized to several forms like Reilly, Riley, and O'Reilly. It hails from the province of Ulster, and specifically County Cavan, where the family was part of the local aristocracy. Please note that surname meanings are often subjected to different interpretations and the meaning of Reilley may also vary.

Reilley: Where does the name Reilley come from?

The last name Reilley is most commonly found in Ireland, the UK, the US, and Canada. It is believed to have originated in Uí Briúin, a Province in Connacht, Ireland. In the U.S., the last name is most commonly found in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Washington, and California. It is the 84th most common surname in the US. In Canada, the surname is most common in Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, where it ranks as the 117th most popular surname. In the UK, Reilley is the 2,311th most popular surname, with most occurrences in London, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Yorkshire and the Humber. The most senior holder of the name in the UK today is James David Reilley, born in Wolverhampton in 1881.

According to Ancestry.com, the surname Reilley is a patronymic or a surname derived from the name of a father or ancestor. The original bearer of the name Reilley is believed to be Aedh Ó Raghailligh, a descendant of the Uí Briúin, which means that the surname is likely to have been adopted by the 17th century as a result of the Anglo-Norman conquest of Ireland.

When tracing the history of the Reilley name, it is important to note that spelling and records may change and vary as the surname travels through time and place. It has also been known to be spelled many different ways, including Reilly, Reiley, and O’Reilly.

Variations of the surname Reilley

The surname Reilley has a number of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Some of these variations include: Reilly, O'Reilly, O'Riley, Riley, Reilley, Rielly, Riely, Reily, Reely and Ryley.

Reilly is the most widely used variation of the surname Reilley, originating from the Irish-Gaelic Ó Raghallaigh. This form of the surname means 'descendant of the valiant one'. It was a popular surname in counties Dublin and Cavan in Ireland, and was used predominantly by those who remembered a brave ancestor in their family line.

O'Reilly is the Irish-Gaelic form of Reilly, which is derived from the same origin as Reilley. It was used in both Ireland and England beginning in the 9th century.

O'Riley is another variation of Reilley, which also dates back to the 9th century. It is believed to be derived from the Irish-Gaelic ‘Ó Raghallaigh’ and has the same origin as Reilly and Reilley.

Riley is a shortened form of the surname, which originates from the ancient Gaelic O'Raghallaigh, the same origin as the surname Reilley. It is derived from the ancient Gaelic name 'O'Raghallaigh', which means 'valiant one'.

Reilley is a spelling variant of the surname Reilly. It originated from the ancient Irish-Gaelic Ó Raghallaigh and means 'descendant of the valiant one'. This form of the surname was found in Counties Dublin and Cavan in Ireland and was used to denote an ancestor who was brave.

Rielly is another variation of the surname Reilley, which is derived from the Irish-Gaelic origin of Ó Raghallaigh. This form of the surname was found in County Cork in Ireland and was used to denote a brave ancestor.

Riely is another spelling variation of the surname Reilley, which is also derived from the Irish-Gaelic origin of Ó Raghallaigh. The origin of this form of the surname is the same as Reilly and Reilley, and it was used mainly in County Cork in Ireland during the 9th century.

Reily is another variation of the surname Reilley, which is derived from the Irish-Gaelic origin of Ó Raghallaigh. It dates back to the 9th century and was found in Counties Dublin and Cavan in Ireland, denoting a brave ancestor in the family line.

Reely is a shortened version of the paternal surname 'Reilly', derived from the Irish-Gaelic origin of Ó Raghallaigh. The origin of this form of the surname is the same as Reilley, and it was most commonly used in Counties Dublin and Cavan in Ireland.

Ryley is a spelling variation of Reilley, which is also derived from the Irish-Gaelic origin of Ó Raghallaigh. This form of the surname is found in Counties Dublin and Cork in Ireland, and it denotes a brave ancestor in the family line.

Famous people with the name Reilley

• Mark O'Reilly: Irish celebrity chef and restaurateur
• John Reilley: American retired Major League Baseball player
• Pat Reilley: American lawyer and politician from Connecticut
• Tom Reilley: American independent rock musician
• Joe Reilley: American independent children's author
• Steve Reilley: American retired professional ice hockey player
• Robert Reilley: American politician from Connecticut
• Patrick Reilley: American attorney and politician
• Alan Reilley: American retired professional baseball player
• Mike Reilley: American musician and songwriter
• Dave Reilley: Retired American professional ice hockey player
• Johnny Reilley: Retired American professional ice hockey player
• Bob Reilley: Retired American professional ice hockey player
• Chris Reilley: American retired professional baseball player
• Ryan Reilley: Canadian professional ice hockey player
• Annalee Reilley: American actress, dancer, and singer
• Tom Reilley Jr.: Singer and songwriter
• Ford O. Reilley: American businessman and former Commissioner of the New York Department of Financial Services
• Matthew Reilley: American stand-up comedian
• Claire Reilley: American poet and professor
• John S. Reilley: American jurist and United States federal judge

Other surnames

Reilly