Show ContentsScully History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Many Irish names are English translations of Gaelic names. The name Scully was a translation of the Gaelic name Ó Scolaidhe, which means student.

Early Origins of the Scully family

The surname Scully was first found in county Westmeath (Irish: An Iarmhí) in the Irish Midlands, province of Leinster, where they held a family seat from very early times.

Early History of the Scully family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Scully research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1172 is included under the topic Early Scully History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Scully Spelling Variations

During the Middle Ages, a person's name was often recorded under several spelling variations during a single lifetime because it was essentially up to the individual scribe's discretion as to how to record an individual's name. Research into the name Scully revealed many variations, including Scully, Scally, O'Scully and others.

Early Notables of the Scully family

Notable among the family name at this time was

  • James Scully of Scully's Bank

Scully Ranking

In the United States, the name Scully is the 4,238th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1


United States Scully migration to the United States +

The 19th century brought a massive reduction in Ireland's population. It seemed that during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s the Irish people had two options: starve or immigrate. Those that chose the later frequently headed for the United States, hopeful for land, work, and equality. Those determined for free land joined the migration west; while others stayed behind to live in urban centers and often work in factories. Still others began a transitory life in work camps, building the bridges, canals, railways, and highways so critical to the rapidly development of the growing industrial nation. Early passenger and immigration lists have shown many early immigrants bearing the name Scully:

Scully Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Ben, Edward, John, Joseph, Martin, Mathew, Michael, Owen, Patrick, Peter, Thomas, and William Scully all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1800 and 1870
  • John Sullivan Scully, aged 35, who arrived in New York, NY in 1803 2
  • Dennis Sullivan Scully, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1809 2
  • Terence Scully, aged 31, who landed in Missouri in 1842 2
  • Peter Scully, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Scully migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Scully Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Bridget Scully, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1826
  • Matthew Scully, aged 29, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Sea Horse" in 1833
  • Michael Scully, aged 23, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
  • Dennis Scully, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
  • Judith Scully, aged 27, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Scully migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Scully Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • James Scully, a tailor, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832
  • Eliza Scully, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Trafalgar" in 1847 3
  • Mr. John Scully, (b. 1824), aged 24, English baker who was convicted in London, England for 14 years for theft, transported aboard the "Eden" on 30th September 1848, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island), he died in 1903 4
  • John Scully, aged 18, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Marion" in 1849 5
  • Elizabeth Scully, aged 20, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Grand Trianon"
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Scully migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Scully Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss. Scully, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gananoque" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 9th May 1860 6
  • Miss. Maria Scully, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gananoque" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 9th May 1860 6
  • Mr. W. Scully, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gananoque" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 9th May 1860 6
  • Mrs. Scully, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gananoque" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 9th May 1860 6
  • Mr. Michael Scully, Scottish settler travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 5th October 1861 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Scully (post 1700) +

  • Vincent Edward "Vin" Scully (1927-2022), American sportscaster, best known for his 67 seasons calling games for Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers (1950-2016)
  • Clark Todd Scully (1948-2021), American racewalker who competed in the men's 20 kilometres walk at the 1976 Summer Olympics
  • Rock Scully (1941-2014), American manager of the rock band the Grateful Dead from 1965 to 1985
  • "Iceman" John Scully (b. 1967), American former world-ranked professional light heavyweightboxer
  • John Scully (b. 1958), former American college and professional football
  • John Scully (1844-1917), American Roman Catholic priest and President of Fordham University
  • Steven L. Scully (b. 1960), American senior executive producer and political editor for the C-SPAN television network
  • Brian Scully, American Primetime Emmy Award winniing television writer and producer
  • Blaine Scully (b. 1988), American rugby union football player
  • Sean Scully (b. 1945), Irish-born American two-time Turner Prize nominated painter and printmaker
  • ... (Another 16 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) TRAFALGAR 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Trafalgar.htm
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th November 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eden
  5. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The MARION 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Marion.htm
  6. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  7. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook