McNally Surname Meaning & Origin
What the McNally last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the McNally last name
Meaning of the McNally last name: son of the poor man. McNally comes from the Gaelic Mac an Fhailghigh, "son of the poor man", a modest name that became a proud one. The family belonged to Ulster, especially Armagh and Monaghan, where it is still most common. A curious detail: in Mayo and Roscommon the same name usually appears as Nally, without the Mac. McNally is now familiar in Belfast, Dublin and Glasgow, and in New York and Chicago.
Arms associated with the McNally name
Irish shields often use green and gold, colours linked with the land and good fortune, a feel shared by the arms associated with the McNally name.
Get your full McNally family history
This is only a glimpse of the McNally story. The full McNally history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted McNally coat of arms. Get the full McNally report.
McNally name FAQ
What does the McNally name mean?
Son of the poor man. Common variants include MacNally, Nally, McAnally.
Where does the McNally surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, Scotland and England.
Is there a McNally coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized McNally coat of arms in museum style, 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.