The O'Neill surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 50,028 people carried this name — #689 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 5,900 people counted. That is up 3% from 48,656 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the O'Neill surname

Anglicisation of an Irish surname meaning "descendant of Niall".

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «O'Neill» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 407 births for the O’Neill name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 18,100 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 48 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 145
Leinster 124
Munster 110
Connacht 28

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In print

O'Neill in American newspapers,
1903–1925.

Newspaper page from Burlington Weekly Free Press carrying the name O'Neill
Burlington Weekly Free Press 1903-07-30
Newspaper page from East Oregonian : E.O carrying the name O'Neill
East Oregonian : E.O 1916-09-23
Newspaper page from The Milwaukee Leader carrying the name O'Neill
The Milwaukee Leader 1925-05-02

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 441,272 pages in all carry the name.

In print

O'Neill in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2010s.

161,548 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss O'Neill. The most, 30,258, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 72,936
Victoria 33,820
Queensland 28,437
Western Australia 10,613
South Australia 7,781
Tasmania 5,473
ACT (Canberra) 2,105
Northern Territory 130

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss O'Neill.

Who carried it

People named O'Neill,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Eugene O'Neill
    Eugene O'Neill 1888–1953 · playwright
  • Oona O'Neill
    Oona O'Neill 1925–1991 · actor
  • Gerard K. O'Neill 1927–1992 · university teacher

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0.

In the public record

People named O'Neill,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States14,620 records

14,620 records of the O'Neill name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 4,931
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 3,685
  • Other U.S. records 6,004
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Michael James O'Neill

    Born 1949; from Minneapolis, Minnesota. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1968 in Thua Thien, South Vietnam. Buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minnesota.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Agatha I. O'Neill

    Born 1901 in Iowa. Enlisted 1944 in the Women's Army Corps at Seattle, Washington; waiter. U.S. Army veteran; died 1996, buried at Mountain View Memorial Park, Tacoma, Washington.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Vincent W. O'Neill

    Born 1931; from New York, New York. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; killed in action 1951 in South Korea. Buried at Cypress Hills National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)

Showing 3 of 14,620 records for O'Neill in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain).

Australia4,136 records

4,136 records of the O'Neill name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 1,787
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 855
  • Other Australian records 1,494
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Catherine O'Neill

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Waverley, sailing from London Dublin in 1847. Native of Connaught, Galway. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1852.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Ellen O'Neill

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Rajah, sailing from London in 1841. Native of Liverpool, Lancashire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1854.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Joseph Bernard O'Neill

    Died 1920 in Ulverstone, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1920.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 4,136 records for O'Neill in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada618 records

618 records of the O'Neill name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 420
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 70
  • Other Canadian records 128
  1. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Herbert Arthur O'Neill

    Served in the No. 2 Construction Battalion in the First World War, private; of Bermuda, British West Indies.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Joseph O'Neill

    Came to Ontario in 1872 aboard the Emperor, landing at Quebec, bound for Markham, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Mary Stewart O'Neill

    Buried in 1980 at St. Mary's Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 74.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 618 records for O'Neill in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

New Zealand137 records

137 records of the O'Neill name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 100
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 12
  • Other New Zealand records 25
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Catherine O'Neill

    Died 1940, aged 82; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Kathleen Pearl O'Neill

    Buried in 1978 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 87.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John William O'Neill

    Died 1919, aged 36; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 137 records for O'Neill in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom103 records

103 records of the O'Neill name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 75
  • Stirling Council burial records 26
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jane Ann O'Neill

    Buried in 1910 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 33.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ann O'Neill

    Buried in 1790 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 34.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. O'Neill

    Royal Fusiliers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 103 records for O'Neill in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Ireland56 records

56 records of the O'Neill name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Michael O'Neill

    Died 1937, aged 27; buried at Labane, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary O'Neill

    Died 1974, aged 85; buried at Cortoon, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 56 records for O'Neill in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France28 records

28 records of the O'Neill name in France
  • France's national death register, 1970–2001 27
  • Loire-Atlantique's First World War dead 1
  1. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Gabriel Marie O'Neill

    Born 1898 in Brest; student. Died in the First World War on 6 September 1918 at Combats de Valsery (Aisne). 250th Artillery Regiment.

    Département de Loire-Atlantique, Mémorial virtuel des morts pour la France (Licence Ouverte 2.0)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Robert Marie Gaston O'Neill

    Born 1907 in Yffiniac (Côtes-d'Armor); died 1979 in Bourgneuf-en-Retz (Loire-Atlantique).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 28 records for O'Neill in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte) · Département de Loire-Atlantique, Mémorial virtuel des morts pour la France (Licence Ouverte 2.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0); Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands5 records

5 records of the O'Neill name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 3
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 1
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Thomas O'Neill

    In the population register of Liverpool (Gb); student, born 1904 in Liverpool (Gb).

    Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 1 of 5 records for O'Neill in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to O'Neill.

When the index is not enough

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A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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