Neely Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Neely last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Neely last name
Meaning of the Neely last name: son of the poet. Neely is an Irish and Scottish surname, a shortened form of Gaelic Mac an Fhilidh, "son of the poet". The last name is most common in Ulster, especially Antrim and Down, and in America. Curiously, the fili were the learned poets of Gaelic Ireland, trained to memorise genealogies, laws and verse.
Arms associated with the Neely name
Coats of arms associated with the Neely surname follow Irish heraldry, each set out in a short blazon.
Get your full Neely family history
This is only a glimpse of the Neely story. The full Neely 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 Neely coat of arms. Get the full Neely report.
Neely name FAQ
What does the Neely name mean?
Son of the poet. Common variants include McNeely, Neeley.
Where does the Neely surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Neely coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Neely coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).