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Connolly Family History

Connolly Surname Meaning

Irish and Manx: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Conghaile ‘descendant of Conghal’ a name meaning ‘hound valiant’ or of Ó Conghalaigh ‘descendant of Conghalach’ a derivative of Conghal; the two surnames have long been confused.

Anglicized Irish forms Conneely, Connealy, Cunneely have arisen where loss of gh has caused lengthening of the second syllable of Conghal: they often also (Connacht) represent shortened forms of McNeilly from Mac Conghaile.

Another possible origin is the West Cork name Mac Coingheallaigh (or Ó Coingheallaigh) ‘son (or descendant) of Coingheallach’ a personal name meaning ‘faithful to pledges’.

See McNeilly.

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


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Where is the Connolly family from?

You can see how Connolly families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Connolly family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Connolly families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 1,191 Connolly families living in Lancashire. This was about 43% of all the recorded Connolly's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Connolly families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Connolly 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 Connolly 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 Connolly. 20% of Connolly men worked as a General Labourer and 64% of Connolly women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Connolly were Bricklayer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Connolly | 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
    20%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%
  • General Labourer Heavy Worker
    4%
  • Bricklayer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    64%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Connolly family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 224,000 census records available for the last name Connolly. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Connolly census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Connolly

Passenger Lists

There are 76,000 immigration records available for the last name Connolly. 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 Connolly immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 51,000 military records available for the last name Connolly. For the veterans among your Connolly ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Connolly military records

You've only scratched the surface of Connolly family history

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What is the average Connolly lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Connolly life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Connolly in 1940 was 32, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Connolly

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Connolly 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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