Molloy Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Molloy last name means, where the surname began and where it was first recorded.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Molloy coat of arms for you.
Meaning and origin of the Molloy last name
Meaning of the Molloy last name: descendant of the noble leader. Molloy comes from Ó Maolmhuaidh, "descendant of Maolmhuadh", a name meaning "noble leader" or "proud leader". The O'Molloys were lords of Fir Cell, a territory in what is now County Offaly, and they kept much of their land until the 17th century. The name is still most common in Offaly and the Midlands. A separate sept of the name lived in County Roscommon. Fir Cell, meaning "men of the churches", covered the baronies of Ballycowan, Ballyboy and Eglish. Their lands passed into the Tudor plantation of King's County in the 16th century, though several branches kept estates for generations. The Roscommon family, Ó Maoil Aodha, is of separate descent and is sometimes anglicized as Mulloy. Emigration in the 19th century took the name to England, the United States and Australia.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Molloy name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Molloy name in Ireland. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, England and Australia; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full Molloy family history
Your full Molloy pack adds the researched history, early records and migration. Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Molloy coat of arms for you.
Molloy name FAQ
What does the Molloy name mean?
Descendant of the noble leader. Common variants include O'Molloy, Mulloy, Maloy.
Where does the Molloy surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, England and Australia.
Is there a Molloy coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Molloy crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Molloy coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).