O'Neal Surname Meaning & Origin
What the O'Neal last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the O'Neal last name
Meaning of the O'Neal last name: descendant of Niall. O'Neal is an English spelling of the Irish surname Ó Néill, "descendant of Niall", the name of the great Ulster dynasty. The first name Niall may mean "champion" or "cloud". The O'Neal spelling is especially common in the United States, where many African American families carry this last name.
Arms associated with the O'Neal name
Coats of arms associated with the O'Neal surname follow Irish heraldry, each set out in a short blazon.
Get your full O'Neal family history
This is only a glimpse of the O'Neal story. The full O'Neal history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted O'Neal coat of arms. Get the full O'Neal report.
O'Neal name FAQ
What does the O'Neal name mean?
Descendant of Niall. Common variants include O'Neill, Neal, Neil.
Where does the O'Neal surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, England and Australia.
Is there a O'Neal coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized O'Neal coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).