Neal Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Neal last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Neal last name
Meaning of the Neal last name: from the personal name Niall. Neal comes from the personal name Niall, a famous Gaelic name possibly meaning champion. It travelled through Norse and Norman use into England, Scotland and Ireland. A curious detail: Niall of the Nine Hostages, a legendary Irish king, is often named as an ancestor of many Irish families, and some studies suggest a very large number of descendants.
Arms associated with the Neal name
English heralds once rode round the counties checking who used arms, and the Neal name belongs to that long tradition.
Get your full Neal family history
This is only a glimpse of the Neal story. The full Neal 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 Neal coat of arms. Get the full Neal report.
Neal name FAQ
What does the Neal name mean?
From the personal name Niall. Common variants include Neale, Neil, Neill.
Where does the Neal surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Ireland and Australia.
Is there a Neal coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Neal coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.