Newell — Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: O Tnuthghail
Meaning: 'descendant of Tnuthghal' (tnuth, envy/desire + gal, valour)
Traditional stronghold: Antrim, Fermanagh
Pronunciation: NEW-el
History of the Newell name
Newell in parts of Ulster represents an anglicisation of O Tnuthghail, a compound name combining tnuth, meaning envy or ardent desire, with gal, valour, and the same root also gives the surname Tunny in some areas. The family were located around County Fermanagh, with a later concentration also found in County Antrim. Because Newell is additionally a genuine English and Scottish surname derived from 'new hall', some bearers in Ulster, particularly descendants of planter families, carry the name through that separate route rather than through the Gaelic sept. The two strands make Newell one of the more layered Ulster surnames in terms of true origin.
Variants: Tunny · Newall
Related names from the same part of Ireland: Quinn · Maguire · Flanagan · McDonnell · Cassidy · Cunningham · McGee · Lennon