|
a.
|
Note: NEELEY NAME ORIGIN Compiled by the Media Research Bureau, Washington, D.C.- Researched by Mildred Neeley Oliver. The name of Neeley or Neely is said to have been derived from the extremely ancient surname of O'Neill, which was taken from the given name of Niul or Niall. It is found on the ancient Irish and early American records in various forms of Neill, Neil, Neall, neale, Neilye, Neillye, Neleye, Ne lye, Neley, Nely, neilie, Nealie, Neallie, Neally, Nealley, Nealeye, Nealye, Nealey, Nealy, Neelie, Neellie, Neeleye, Neelly, Neelye, Neeley, Neely and others, of which the last two forms mentioned are those most generally accepted in America today and several of the others are also still occasionally used. It is claimed by some authorities that the O'Neills trace their descent from Niul, son of Phenius Prarsa, King of Scythia, from whom was descended in about the twenty-first generation King Milesius of Spain, whose son, Heremon, became the first King of Ireland about the year 1200 B.C. In the year 388 A.D. one Niall the Great, who was the fifty-third in descent from Heremon, was the ruler of Ireland. The direct descendants of this last mentioned Niall occupied the throne of Ireland for more than six hundred years, many of them being named Niall. The fourty-sixth monarch, D aniel Armach O'Neill, is said to have died in 1064 and to have been succeeded by Malechy, who was succeeded by King Mortough Mac Neill, who died in 1168 and was the last native king of Ireland of the Hy-Niall line. from this ancient Irish line were descended the O'Neills of the British Isle, from whom many of the Neeleys and Neelys trace their descent. There were several families of Neele, Neyle, Neile and neale living in England before the year 1500. It is not known from which of the many illustuious lines of the family in Great britian the earliest emigrants of the name to America were descended, but it is generally believed that all of the Neeleys and Neelys (and those families which bore the many variations of these names as well) were of extremely anicent origin and, in most cases, of common derivation at a remote period. It is also generally believed that most of the Neeleys and Neelys were of Irish Lineage and descende d from the O'Neills. The first of the name in America was one Teague Nealy or Neely, who came from either England or Ireland to America as early as 1655 and settled in Northampton County, Virginia. Unfortunately, however, nothing is definitely known concerning the immediate family or descendants, if any, of this early emigrant. By the early 1700's, there were Neally or Nealleys (Neely or Neeley) in New Hamphire, Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York. The descendants of these and of later emigrants of the name to America have spread into all parts of the United States and have aided as much in the growth of the nation as their ancestors aided in its founding and establishment upon this continent. They were known for their energy, industry, integrity, fortitude, determination, pride, indenpence of thought and action, and courage. Among those of the Neel(e)ys who fought in the War of the Revolution were Captain Abraham of New york; Lt. Benjamin & Capt. William of Pennsylvania; James, Hugh, Issac, James Jr, John and Alexander of Virginia; and numerous other as well from various other New England and Southern Colonies. William, James, John, Richard, Thomas, Edward, Frances, Joseph, Matthew, Benjamin and Anfdrew are some of the Christain names most highly favored by the family for its male progeny.
|
