Show ContentsDaly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The spelling and overall form of Irish names often vary considerably. The original Gaelic form of the name Daly is Ó Dalaigh, from the word "dalach," which comes from "dail," which means "assembly." 1

Early Origins of the Daly family

The surname Daly was first found in the barony of Magheradernon, in County Westmeath and traditionally claim descent from Eanna Ceannselach (Ian Kinsella), King of Leinster. They became Chiefs of Muintir Bhaire in the south west of Cork, and later in the north west of the same county, largely in O'Keefe's country. A distinct sept was found in Desmond as early as 1165.

"Cuconnachta-na-Scoil O'Daly (or "Cuconnachta of the Schools") was the first of this family that assumed the surname." 2

Early History of the Daly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Daly research. Another 198 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1139, 1574, 1583, 1595, 1600, 1614, 1617, 1638, 1662, 1665, 1680, 1721, 1902, 1955 and 1976 are included under the topic Early Daly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Daly Spelling Variations

Because early scribes and church officials often spelled names as they sounded, a person could have many various spellings of his name.Many different spelling variations of the surname Daly were found in the archives researched. These included Daly, Daley, Daylie, Dayley, Dalley, Dailey, Daily, Dailley, Dally, O'Daily, O'Daley and many more.

Early Notables of the Daly family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

  • Daniel O'Daly (1595-1662), Irish diplomat and historian. He was "a native of Kerry, born in 1595, was member of a branch of an Irish sept which took its name from an ancestor, Dalach, in the twelfth c...
  • Angus O'Daly (d. 1617), was the Irish author of the satire "The Tribes of Ireland"; Dominic O'Daly (1595-1665), an Irish statesman in Portugal; and Denis Daly (c.1638-1721), an Irish Judge and Privy C...
  • Dermot O Daly, was a Gaelic-Irish landlord, ancestor of Baron Dunsandle and Clanconal, (fl. 1574-1614.)

Daly World Ranking

In the United States, the name Daly is the 1,349th most popular surname with an estimated 22,383 people with that name. 3 However, in Australia, the name Daly is ranked the 349th most popular surname with an estimated 10,333 people with that name. 4 And in New Zealand, the name Daly is the 504th popular surname with an estimated 1,364 people with that name. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Daly as 481st with 13,383 people. 6


Daly migration to the United States +

A massive wave of Irish immigrants hit North America during the 19th century. Although many early Irish immigrants made a carefully planned decision to leave left Ireland for the promise of free land, by the 1840s immigrants were fleeing a famine stricken land in desperation. The condition of Ireland during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s can be attributed to a rapidly expanding population and English imperial policies. Those Irish families that arrived in North America were essential to its rapid social, industrial, and economic development. Passenger and immigration lists have revealed a number of early Irish immigrants bearing the name Daly:

Daly Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Brian Daly, who landed in Maryland in 1663 7
  • Laughlin Daly, who arrived in Maryland in 1678 7
  • Joane Daly, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1685 7
  • Owen Daly, who landed in America in 1688 7
Daly Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Rees Daly, who arrived in Montserrat in 1735 7
  • Darby Daly, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746 7
Daly Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William Daly, aged 30, who arrived in New York, NY in 1803 7
  • Richard Daly, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1806 7
  • Arthur Daly, aged 50, who arrived in New York in 1811 7
  • Anthony Daly, who landed in New York, NY in 1815 7
  • William George Daly, who landed in New York, NY in 1815 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Daly Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. William Daly, (b. 1896), aged 9, Cornish settler, from St. Just, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Campania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 14th October 1905 en route to Central City, Colorado, USA 8

Daly migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Daly Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Garrett Daly, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749
  • Maurice Daly, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1750
  • John Daly, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1776
  • Henry Daly, who landed in Quebec in 1784
  • Mr. Peter Daly U.E. who settled in Ernest Town [Ernestown], Ontario c. 1784 9
Daly Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • John Daly, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1813
  • Ellen Daly, aged 22, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Independence" in 1832
  • Alice Daly, aged 29, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Salus" in 1833
  • Charles Daly, aged 35, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the barque "Pallas" from Cork, Ireland
  • Mary Daly, aged 24, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the barque "Pallas" from Cork, Ireland
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Daly migration to Australia +

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

Daly Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Charles Daly, (Daley), (b. 1772), aged 21, Irish landlord who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Boddingtons" on 15th February 1793, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1831 10
Daly Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Charles Daly, Irish convict who was convicted in Meath, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
  • Mr. James Daly, Irish convict who was convicted in Meath, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
  • Mr. Thomas Daly, Irish convict who was convicted in Carlow, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
  • Miss Anne Daly, (b. 1783), aged 35, Irish needle woman who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for house robbery, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 26th July 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
  • John Daly Mr. settled in New South Wales, Australia in 1823 13
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Daly 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:

Daly Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Richard Daly, British settler as part of the 8th Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Oriental Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th September 1849 14
  • Mr. John Daly, British settler as part of the 8th Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Oriental Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th September 1849 14
  • Miss Ann Daly, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship 'Merchantman' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand and Auckland New Zealand on 6th September 1855 15
  • Owen Daly, aged 28, a butcher, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alma" in 1857
  • Rachael Daly, aged 22, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alma" in 1857
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Daly migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 16
Daly Settlers in West Indies in the 18th Century
  • Andrew Daly, who arrived in Jamaica in 1735 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Daly (post 1700) +

  • Patricia Daly (1956-2022), American sister and leader in the field of socially responsible investing, Executive Director of Tri-State Coalition for Responsible Investment
  • Herman Edward Daly (1938-2022), American ecological and Georgist economist, recipient of the Blue Planet Prize, Grawemeyer Award, Heineken Prize, Leontief Prize, Right Livelihood Award and the Sophie Prize
  • Joel Daly (1934-2020), American news anchor who served as anchor for WLS-TV (an ABC-affiliate) in Chicago, Illinois, for 38 years
  • Eric Blair Daly, American songwriter and record producer
  • John Augustin Daly (1838-1899), American theatrical manager and playwright, eponym of Daly's Theatre, a theatre in the City of Westminster (London) (1893-1937 when it was demolished)
  • Brigadier-General Cornelius Martin Daly (1891-1974), American Chief of Staff 5th Armored Division (1941-1942) 17
  • John Patrick Daly (b. 1966), American professional PGA golfer
  • Carson Jones Daly (b. 1973), American television host
  • James Timothy "Tim" Daly (b. 1956), American stage, screen and voice actor, director and producer
  • Candice Daly (1963-2004), American film and television actress
  • ... (Another 87 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Arthur Daly, British Petty Officer Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 18
  • Mr. Denis Daly, British Petty Officer Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 18
RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. Harold Mayne Daly, Canadian 1st Class Passenger from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 19
RMS Titanic
  • Miss Margaret "Maggie" Daly, aged 30, Irish Third Class passenger from Athlone, Westmeath who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived in the sinking in life boat 15 20
  • Mr. Eugene Patrick Daly, aged 29, Irish Third Class passenger from Athlone, Westmeath who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking in collapsible B 20
  • Mr. Peter Dennis Daly, aged 51, Peruvian First Class passenger from Lima, Peru who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping in life boat A 20
SS Atlantic
  • Mr. James Daly, Irish traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking


The Daly 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: Deo fidelis et Regi
Motto Translation: Loyal to God and king


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
  2. O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  5. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  6. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  7. 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)
  8. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  9. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/boddingtons
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
  14. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  15. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  17. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, January 10) Cornelius Daly. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Daly/Cornelius_Martin/USA.html
  18. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  19. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  20. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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