Reilly Surname: Origin and Coat of Arms
What does Reilly mean, and where does it come from? Here is a brief introduction.
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Origin of the Reilly name
Reilly comes from Ó Raghallaigh, "descendant of Raghallach", a personal name of uncertain meaning. The O'Reillys ruled East Breifne, now County Cavan, for centuries, and their own coinage was once known as "O'Reillys". The name is still most numerous in Cavan and Longford.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Reilly name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Reilly 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.
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Reilly name FAQ
What does the Reilly name mean?
Descendant of Raghallach. Common variants include O'Reilly, Riley, Ryley.
Where does the Reilly surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, England and Australia.
Is there a Reilly coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Reilly crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Reilly 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).