FAQs
O'reilly Surname Meaning
Is O'Reilly Scottish or Irish? ›
O'Reilly (Irish: Ó Raghallaigh) is a common Irish surname. The O'Reillys were historically the kings of East Bréifne in what is today County Cavan. The clan were part of the Connachta's Uí Briúin Bréifne kindred and were closely related to the Ó Ruairc (O'Rourkes) of West Bréifne.
What is the history of the O Reilly family? ›
O'Reilly is the most common surname in Ireland, and by far the most common in Cavan. The O'Reillys trace their ancestry back to Conn Ced-catchach ( Conn of the hundred battles). One of his descendants was Brian, King of Connaght, in the 4th century, his descendants became known as Ui Briuin (the race of Brian).
What heritage is the name Reilly? ›
Reilly is a gender-neutral name of Irish origin. A traditional Irish surname derived from O' Raghallaigh, it means "courageous" or "valiant." If you love animated movies, you may recognize this name from Disney Pixar's Inside Out, where protagonist Riley Andersen learns to adjust to complex life changes.
What is the motto of the O Reilly family? ›
The motto for the O'Reilly family is, "With Fortitude and Prudence." Variant spellings of the Irish surname O'Reilly include Reilley, O'Reily, O'Riely, O'Rielly, O'Riley, O'Rilley and many others.
What is the ancestry of O Reilly? ›
O'reilly Surname Meaning
Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Raghailligh 'descendant of Raghailleach', Old Irish Roghallach, a personal name of unexplained etymology. This is the name of a chieftain family in County Cavan, related to the O'Rourkes.
How many people have the last name O'Reilly? ›
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname O'Reilly held steady in popularity between 2000 and 2010, maintaining a rank of 2946 and a count of 11,224 individuals. The proportion of individuals with the O'Reilly surname per 100,000 people also remained consistent at 4.16 during this decade.
Where did the life of O Reilly come from? ›
Idioms and Phrases
Also, life of Reilly . An easy life, as in Peter had enough money to take off the rest of the year and live the life of Riley . This phrase originated in a popular song of the 1880s, “Is That Mr. Reilly?” by Pat Rooney, which described what its hero would do if he suddenly came into a fortune.
What is the meaning of the last name Reilly? ›
Riley is a surname of English origin, as well as an Anglicized version of an Irish surname. The name has the meaning "rye clearing", or is from one of several placenames, including High Riley in Accrington, Lancashire, and in Devon.
How rare is the name Reilly? ›
Reilly was the 2628th most popular girls name and 2283rd most popular boys name. In 2021 there were only 65 baby girls and only 60 baby boys named Reilly. 1 out of every 27,377 baby girls and 1 out of every 31,011 baby boys born in 2021 are named Reilly.
One of his first actions as governor was to punish the ringleaders of the Insurrection of 1768, who had resisted the colony's transfer from France to Spain. Because of the executions that O'Reilly ordered, he became known in Louisiana as “Bloody O'Reilly.”
Is there a Reilly Tartan? ›
Mr Reilly designed this tartan, based on the O'Reilly Tartan and the Reilly family colours of green and yellow, to represent his family's ties to Donegal and Glasgow. The orange-red colour was added to show connections with Dundee. Click on the image above to see a more detailed version.
What is the O Reilly culture? ›
The O'Reilly Culture... Our COMMITMENT To Our Customers and Our Team Members. We are ENTHUSIASTIC, HARDWORKING PROFESSIONALS who are DEDICATED to TEAMWORK, SAFETY/WELLNESS and EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE.
Is the surname Riley Irish or Scottish? ›
The Riley surname is believed to be English and Irish, with distinct points of origin.
Is there an O'Reilly tartan? ›
Mr Reilly designed this tartan, based on the O'Reilly Tartan and the Reilly family colours of green and yellow, to represent his family's ties to Donegal and Glasgow. The orange-red colour was added to show connections with Dundee. Click on the image above to see a more detailed version.
What is the Gaelic name for Reilly? ›
Reilly ( /ˈraɪli/) is an Irish surname (other forms include O'Reilly), and is derived from the Gaelic Ó Raghallaigh Sept that was based in Counties Cavan and Westmeath.
Who were the most powerful Irish families? ›
The O'Neills were perhaps the greatest of the Irish clans, whose origins date back as far as the 10th century and whose lineage includes two High Kings of Ireland. Hugh O'Neill became leader of the clan in 1595 and as such was known as The O'Neill.
