Gaelic dynasty

O'Neill

Ó Néill

Also: Neill, MacNeill

“descendant of Niall (Glúndub)”

🏔 Tyrone · Tír Eoghain 🏔 Antrim · Aontroim 🏔 Armagh · Ard Mhacha

The sept's historic heartland, highlighted. People moved — a name can be found far from home.

The story

The premier dynasty of Gaelic Ireland, kings of Ulster for a thousand years. Hugh O'Neill's Nine Years' War came within one battle of reversing the conquest.

Their world Around 1595 — The Tudor Conquest. Henry VIII takes the title 'King of Ireland' in 1541, and his children finish the work by sword, by plantation, and by the bargain called surrender and regrant.

See them on the atlas ↗

What the name is made of

Ó Néill
Ó — descendant of (originally grandson of)
Néill — the ancestor, trade or place the name is built on

Find this form in the Irish-to-English index → · What Ó and Mac actually mean

Is O'Neill an Irish name?

O'Neill is a Gaelic name: it was formed in Irish, from an Irish ancestor, before English was spoken here.

The five answers, and why it is rarely yes or no →

From Wikipedia — “O'Neill (surname)”

O'Neill is an Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Néill meaning "descendant of Niall". The Uí Néill dynasty were the foremost dynasty of Ulster, and all Ireland, from the 5th century throughout the medieval period, until the Flight of the Earls in 1607 which saw the end of Gaelic Ireland. O'Neill is one of the most common Irish surnames.

Read the full article ↗ · Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Neighbours — other names from the same counties

Adams · Antrim, Armagh Campbell · Antrim, Tyrone Hughes · Armagh, Tyrone McNally · Tyrone, Armagh O'Hagan · Tyrone, Armagh Stewart · Antrim, Tyrone Wilson · Antrim, Tyrone Beattie · Antrim Bell · Antrim Callan · Armagh Conlan · Tyrone Cooney · Tyrone Craig · Antrim Devaney · Armagh

Quick answers

Is O'Neill an Irish name?

O'Neill is a Gaelic name: it was formed in Irish, from an Irish ancestor, before English was spoken here. In Irish the name is Ó Néill.

What does the surname O'Neill mean?

O'Neill (Irish: Ó Néill) means “descendant of Niall (Glúndub)”. Origin: Gaelic dynasty.

Where in Ireland is the surname O'Neill from?

The historic homeland of the O'Neill name is Tyrone, Antrim, Armagh. People moved, so the name can be found far beyond it.

What is the Irish for O'Neill?

Ó Néill. Related spellings: Neill, MacNeill.

Looking for the O'Neill family crest? Read this first — arms belong to people, not surnames, and the honest version is more interesting. Tracing O'Neill ancestors? The step-by-step guide.

Not your spelling? Try the full A–Z. Know more about the O'Neill name? Add to the story.