Begley - Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: Ó Beaglaoich
Meaning: “little hero”
Traditional stronghold: Kerry, Donegal
Pronunciation: BEG-lee; Irish O Beaglaoich: oh BYAG-lee-hig
History of the Begley name
Begley derives from O Beaglaoich, combining beag, small, with laoch, hero or warrior, giving a sense of 'little warrior' or 'lesser hero'. The name has two distinct historical centres, one in County Kerry on the Dingle peninsula and another entirely separate one in County Donegal, suggesting either two unrelated foundings of the name or an early migration between the regions. In Kerry the family were associated with the area around Ventry, while in Donegal the name is common along the north-west coast. Both branches have endured into the present day, giving Begley an unusually split modern distribution between the far south-west and the north-west.
Variants: Beagly · O'Begley
Famous bearers of the name
- Philomena Begley - Tyrone-born country singer known as the 'Queen of Irish Country Music'
Related names from the same part of Ireland: O'Sullivan · O'Connor · McCarthy · Gallagher · O'Connell · Fitzgerald · Boyle · Doherty