The original Gaelic form of Cahily was Mac Cathail or O Cathail, while is derived from the personal name
Cathal, which is generally Anglicized as Charles. Cahily is derived from the Old Irish "catu-ualos" which means "valor or powerful in battle".
Early Origins of the Cahily family
The surname Cahily was first found in County Kerry
as there are at least two distinct septs of the name. The first sept from County Kerry
descend from the Heremon
line of kings and were known as the Cahills of Connaught
. The second sept claim descent from the Ir line of kings and were located at Corkashinny, or the parish of Templemore, Tipperary
. This line further branched to the eponymous Ballycahill, Tipperary. Both branches descended from O'Connors, the Kings of Connacht
, specifically "Cathal," also known as Conor na Luinge Luaithe, when anglicized means "Conor, the Swifter-Sailing Ship" CITATION[CLOSE]
O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
which may elude to the seafaring coat of arms used by the family.
Early History of the Cahily family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cahily research.Another 275 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1654, 1796 and 1864 are included under the topic Early Cahily History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Cahily Spelling Variations
In the Middle Ages many people were recorded under different spellings each time their name was written down. Research on the Cahily family name revealed numerous spelling variations
, including Cahill, O'Cahill, Kahill, Cawhill, Cahille, Cahil, Cahaly, Cahell, Cahel, Caughell, Kahil, Kahel, Caill, Cail and many more.
Early Notables of the Cahily family (pre 1700)
Notable among the family name at this time was Flan O'Cahill, martyred in 938; Daniel O'Cahill, brother of Bogh O'Cahill, chief of the Clan
, forfeited under the... Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cahily Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Cahily family to the New World and Oceana
saw an enormous decrease in its population in the 19th century due to immigration and death. This pattern of immigration began slowly in the late 18th century and gradually grew throughout the early portion of the 19th century. However, a dramatic increase in the country's immigration numbers occurred when the Great Potato Famine
struck in the 1840s. The early immigrants to North America were primarily destined to be farmers tending to their own plot of land, those that came later initially settled within pre-established urban centers. These urban immigrants provided the cheap labor that the fast developing United States and soon to be Canada required. Regardless of their new lifestyle in North America, the Irish immigrants to the United States and Canada made invaluable contributions to their newly adopted societies. An investigation of immigrant and passenger lists revealed many Cahilys: Elizabeth Cahill, a bonded passenger, who arrived in America in 1735; Thomas Cahill, an "enforced emigrant" sent to America from Ireland
The Cahily Motto
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: In Domino confido
Motto Translation: I trust in the Lord.