Show ContentsHinely History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Irish surname Hinely comes from the Gaelic "Ó hAinle," which is derived from the word "ainle," meaning "beauty." 1

Early Origins of the Hinely family

The surname Hinely was first found in County Roscommon (Irish: Ros Comáin) located in central Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they held a family seat from ancient times and the surname emerged as an anglicized form of the Irish Ó hAinle.

Early History of the Hinely family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hinely research. Another 187 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1085, 1096, 1111, 1659 and 1718 are included under the topic Early Hinely History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hinely Spelling Variations

Names from the Middle Ages demonstrate many spelling variations. This is because the recording scribe or church official often decided as to how a person's name was spelt and in what language. Research into the name Hinely revealed many variations, including O'Hanley, Hanley, O'Hanly, Hanly, Henley, O'Henley, Henly, O'Henley, Hanlay and many more.

Early Notables of the Hinely family

More information is included under the topic Early Hinely Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hinely family

To escape the religious and political discrimination they experienced primarily at the hands of the English, thousands of Irish left their homeland in the 19th century. These migrants typically settled in communities throughout the East Coast of North America, but also joined the wagon trains moving out to the Midwest. Ironically, when the American War of Independence began, many Irish settlers took the side of England, and at the war's conclusion moved north to Canada. These United Empire Loyalists, were granted land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula. Other Irish immigrants settled in Newfoundland, the Ottawa Valley, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, however, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America and Australia. Many of those numbers, however, did not live through the long sea passage. These Irish settlers to North America were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. Irish settlers made an inestimable contribution to the building of the New World. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name Hinely or a variant listed above, including: Thomas Hanley, who sailed to Maryland in 1685. William Hanley sailed to North Carolina in 1701; Patrick Hanley to Philadelphia in 1838; James and Betty Hanley to New York State in 1847.



The Hinely Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Saigeadoir collac abu
Motto Translation: The valiant archer for ever.


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook