The Various O'Neill's

The Various O'Neill's.


The Nihill’s of Co. Clare origins the O Neighill Sept located in the barony of Bunratty of Thomond. O Neighill meaning clan or sept of the champion.


The Mac Neely’s or Neely’s of Co. Antrim origins the Gaelic Mac an Fhilidh ‘Son of a Poet’ The surname was anglicized to McAnelly, MacAnilly and McNeely.


The Nelson’s originally Nielson, ‘Neil’s son’ or ‘Nell’s son’. Nell was the English version of the Gaelic Niall or Norman French Njal.

1. On the Isle of Man the surname Nelson was originally MacNeill.

2. Neilson’ of Craigcaffe, Ayrshire descends from Neil the Earl of Carrick.
3. The Neilson’s the hereditary coroners of the Clan Stuart of Bute.
4. The Nielson’s a Sept of the Clan Gunn.
5. The Nielson’s a sept of the Clan MacKay descendants of Neill MacNeill MacKay.

Neilan or Neylan of Co. Clare : Origins in the Niallain Sept. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Phelim O'Niallain, which was dated 1093, died at Clonmacnois, County Clare, during the reign of No king of All Ireland from 1086 - 1172. The Gaelic O'Niallain 'The descendant of the son of Neil'. The 'English' name holders derive from the Olde English 'neu -landa', a pre 7th century term which in ancient times referred to lands recovered by the draining of the fen country of East Anglia, the name being first recorded in Cambridge in the 13th century. The surname Neilan can be easily changed to O’Neill or O’Neil by dropping of the ‘an’ suffix at the end of the surname.

The Nillson’s or Nilsson’s surname is from the Norse word Njal ‘Champion’ meaning of surname ‘Son of Champion’. The Nillson surname is of a Scandinavian origin mostly found in modern day Sweden. Origins could be Danish, Norse or Swedish.
The Neil’s Clan of Galloway, Scotland originally the MacNeille’s who shortened their surname to Neil.

The Mac Neil’s of Gigha and Barra this clan is of the Hebrides of Scotland.

1. The McNeill’s of Barra served in Ireland during the 14th century with the Clan MacLean
2. In 1471 the MacNeill clan submitted to Con O’Neill.
3. The McNeil’s of North Antrim were followers of the MacDonnell’s of the Glen.
4. The MacNeill clan split into two affiliated entities, the "MacNeill’s" of Barra, and the "McNeill’s" of Gigha/Colonsay, under Torquil MacNeill in 1427.
The MacNeill's of Barra and the MacLeans of Duart were those who settled in Ulster and arrived originally as Gallowglass in the 14th century.
The MacNeill's of Barra were known as "the Last of the Vikings".
It was a Maurice MacNeill who killed with a stabbed in the heart, King Somerled , Lord of Argyll .
The MacNeill's were followers of the McDonnell's of the Glen in Co Antrim during the 17th century.
• The MacNeill motto: Vincere vel Mori (Conquer or Die).
• The MacNeill Battle Cry: No Buaidh Bas (Victory or Death).
While both assumed their own Crests and Tartans, for centuries the MacNeill of Gigha/Colonsay bore allegiance to the Chieftains of Barra. After 1493 the two branches of MacNeils took opposite sides in the long running feud between the MacDonald’s of Islay and the MacLean’s of Duart, Barra MacNeils sided with the Mac Leans while the Gigha MacNeils fought on the side of the Clan Donald.

The Mac Baron’s Origins of surname can be Irish, Scottish and English. The Gaelic Mac Baruin were an important branch of the O’Neill’s in Co. Armagh and Louth. Descendants of Sir. Art Mac Barron O’Neill.
The Scottish Mac Barron means ‘the son of Barron’, but did not denote noble blood.

The McGrail : a branch of the MacNeill’s that settled in Co. Armagh.

The McCougan : a branch of the MacNeill’s.

The Ballyneale Castle O’Neill’s Baile Uí Neill ‘land of the O’Neill’s’. Possible O’Neill’s of Ulster that settled in Ballyneale, Mollough, Ballycurkeen, Ballinamona and Lisadobber during the late 1100 A.D. The Ballyneale Castle is located in Carrick – on – Suir, Co. Tipperary.

The O’Neill’s of the Magh da Chonn or the O’Neill’s of Leinster. These O’Neill’s are a sept once known also as the Fearann Uí Neill. This sept was situated in the three parishes called Moyacomb, Co. Wexford, Co. Carlow and Co. Wicklow.