Neilly

Neilly is primarily a surname of Gaelic origin, commonly rendered as a variant of Neill (Neill) or Niell, and occasionally encountered as a given-name spelling in modern contexts. It is part of a family of names derived from the Gaelic given name Niall, from which Neill and its variants are believed to have arisen through anglicization and regional spelling changes. The precise meaning of Niall is uncertain, but the name is traditionally associated with the idea of a champion or warrior in popular interpretation.

The surname Neilly is found in Ireland and Scotland and among descendants of emigrants in North America, Britain, Australia, and elsewhere. Its appearance in historical records reflects common patterns of migration and spelling variation, rather than a single fixed lineage. In genealogical sources, Neilly can be encountered alongside variants such as Neill, Neely, Niell, and Niall, with spelling shifts often tied to local clerks, emigration, and census-taker conventions.

Today, Neilly is primarily used as a family name. While distinct individuals bearing the surname may come from diverse fields, the name's distribution tends to align with Irish and Scottish diaspora communities. Variants and related names share a common heritage, illustrating how Gaelic names diverged into multiple spellings across continents.