Coyle — Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: Mac Giolla Chomhghaill
Meaning: 'son of the servant of Comhghall, an early Irish saint'
Traditional stronghold: Donegal
Pronunciation: KOYL; Irish Mac Giolla Chomhghaill: mahk GIL-uh KHOH-il
History of the Coyle name
Coyle derives from Mac Giolla Chomhghaill, 'son of the devotee of St Comhghall', founder of the monastery of Bangor, reflecting the practice of naming families after devotion to a particular saint. The surname is strongly associated with County Donegal and the wider Ulster region, where it remained common through the medieval and early modern periods among the local population under the O'Donnell lordship. Over time the name was shortened considerably in anglicisation, losing the Mac Giolla element entirely to leave the simple form Coyle. It remains today one of the characteristic surnames of Donegal and Derry, and spread through emigration, particularly to Scotland, given the strong historic links between Ulster and the west of Scotland.
Variants: MacCoyle · Quill (distinct, occasional confusion)
Famous bearers of the name
- Brendan Coyle — English actor of Irish descent, known for Downton Abbey
- Marion Coyle — Irish republican activist
- Cathal Coyle — Irish poet
- Frank Coyle — Irish footballer
Related names from the same part of Ireland: Gallagher · Boyle · Doherty · Sweeney · O'Donnell · Duffy · McLoughlin · Mooney