Neils History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Germany
• Ireland

Etymology of Neils

Irish names tend to vary widely in their spelling and overall form. The original Gaelic form of the name Neils is Ó Néill, which means descendant of Niall, a personal name of Irish origin, thought to mean "champion." 1

"Of the very great antiquity of this distinguished name and family there can be no doubt." 2

Neils Coat of Arms Creation

Two brothers of the race of Colla Uais saw the Isle of Islay from their native Ireland, and both, at the same time, resolved to possess it. Each got his birlinn ready with its full comple-ment of men, and the race began. When within a short distance of landing, one galley was a length ahead ; whereupon the brother in the galley behind, seeing that the race was about to be won by the other, placed his left hand on the gunwale and, with his own sword, cut it off and threw it ashore, saying as he did so, " Tha m' fhuil agus m' fheoil air tir romhad" ("My flesh and my blood are ashore ahead of you "). 3

Early Origins of the Neils family

Early History of the Neils family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Neils research. Another 108 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1480, 1530, 1550, 1559, 1567, 1612, 1616, 1664, 1689 and 1694 are included under the topic Early Neils History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Neils Spelling Variations

A name was often recorded during the Middle Ages under several different spelling variations during the life of its bearer because literacy was rare there was no real push to clearly define any of the languages found in the British Isles at that time. Variations found of the name Neils include O'Neill, Neal, Neale, Neales, Neil, Nihill, Niell, O'Nail, O'Neil, O'Niel and many more.

Early Notables of the Neils family

Sir Niall O'Neill who distinguished himself at the Battle of the Boyne; Conn O'Neill, 1st Earl of Tyrone (c.1480-1559) King of Tir Eogain; Shane O'Neill (c.1530-1567), Irish king of the O'Neill dynasty of Ulster; Hugh O'Neill (c. 1550-1616), Earl of Tyrone, also known as the Great Earl, Leader of the resistance during the Nine Years War...
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Neils Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Neils family

Death and immigration greatly reduced Ireland's population in the 19th century. For the native Irish people poverty, hunger, and racial prejudice was common. Therefore, thousands left their homeland to seek opportunity in North America. Those who survived the journey and the quarantine camps to which they arrived, were instrumental towards building the strong developing nations of the United States and the future Canada. By far, the largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. These were employed as construction or factory workers. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has shown early immigrants bearing the name Neils: Captain James Neale (1615-1684) who arrived about 1635 in Maryland and received 1,000 acres of land, many of his descendants became Jesuit priests; Edward Neal settled in Boston in 1849.