O'Coil History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of O'Coil

What does the name O'Coil mean?

The Irish name O'Coil was originally written in a Gaelic form as Mac Giolla Chomhgaill, denoting a devotee of St. Comgal.

Early Origins of the O'Coil family

The surname O'Coil was first found in Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall), northwest Ireland in the province of Ulster, sometimes referred to as County Tyrconnel, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

Early History of the O'Coil family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our O'Coil research. Another 127 words (9 lines of text) covering the year 1641 is included under the topic Early O'Coil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

O'Coil Spelling Variations

People who were accounted for by scribes and church officials often had their name recorded many different ways because pronunciation was the only guide those scribes and church officials had to go by. This resulted in the problem of one person's name being recorded under several different variations, creating the illusion of more than one person. Among the many spelling variations of the surname O'Coil that are preserved in archival documents are Coyle, Coyl, Coyles, M'Illhoyle, Coile, Coil, M'Coyle, O'Coyle, Coiles, Coyls, Coils, Koyle, Koyles, Koyl, Koill, Koiles, Coylle, Coylles and many more.

Early Notables of the O'Coil family

Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early O'Coil Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the O'Coil family

A great mass of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century, seeking relief from various forms of social, religious, and economic discrimination. This Irish exodus was primarily to North America. If the migrants survived the long ocean journey, many unfortunately would find more discrimination in the colonies of British North America and the fledgling United States of America. These newly arrived Irish were, however, wanted as a cheap source of labor for the many large agricultural and industrial projects that were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the western world. Early immigration and passenger lists indicate many people bearing the O'Coil name: Alexander, Andrew, Bernard, Daniel, Edward, Francis, Hugh, James, John, Michael, Patrick, Peter, Thomas, and William Coyle, who all arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1820 and 1870.