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Oneill Family History

Oneill Surname Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Néill ‘descendant of Niall’ an Irish personal name possibly derived from néal ‘cloud’.

(see Neil).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Oneill family from?

You can see how Oneill families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Oneill family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Oneill families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 964 Oneill families living in Lancashire. This was about 50% of all the recorded Oneill's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Oneill families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Oneill surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Oneill ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Oneill. 39% of Oneill men worked as a General Labourer and 66% of Oneill women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Oneill were Motor Lorry Driver and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Oneill | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    39%
  • Builders Labourer
    12%
  • Dock Transport Worker
    9%
  • Motor Lorry Driver
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • School Teacher
    5%
  • Domestic Servant
    4%

What Oneill family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 354,000 census records available for the last name Oneill. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Oneill census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Oneill

Passenger Lists

There are 96,000 immigration records available for the last name Oneill. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Oneill immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 72,000 military records available for the last name Oneill. For the veterans among your Oneill ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Oneill military records

You've only scratched the surface of Oneill family history

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What is the average Oneill lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Oneill life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Oneill in 1940 was 37, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Oneill

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Oneill ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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