Where Does the McNeelly Surname Come From?

McNeelly and McNeely are two spellings with one history. The name is usually explained as “Son of the poet”.

Family crest and blazon

A coat of arms belongs to a particular family line rather than to everyone named McNeelly, so the heraldry linked to McNeely is a starting point, not an automatic right.

How the spelling arose

McNeelly adds “l” to McNeely, a small change that appeared as the name was written down. Spellings drifted because names were written down by ear in parish books, tax rolls and passenger lists. Related forms: McNeilly.

McNeelly sounds close to McNally, MacNeill and MacNally, so it can help to search both. For the full story, order the McNeelly surname pack.