Neill is used as a family name or surname in Ireland. It is 5 characters long in length.

Family Name / Last Name: Neill
No. of characters: 5
Origin: Ireland
Meaning:

Lastname Neill is a variation of Arnell. Corruptions of Arnold.

Lastname is a variant of O'Neill. Descendant of Neill, or Niall Noygiollach, Niall of the Nine hostages, or Niall the great, Monarch of Ireland in the fourth century.

Is the form of O'Neill. Grandson of Niall meaning "champion or military hero".

Descendant of Neil meaning "champion".

Neill is variant form of Neal. Descendant of Nigel or Neil meaning "champion".

Neill is form of the Neeley. The son of Conghal meaning "high valor".

Surname is form of the Neil. Descendant of Neil meaning "champion".

Neill is a variant form of the Neale. The Norman personal name Nigel was sometimes softened to this form, and some of our Neales may be of Norman blood; It is believed that most of the families of the name have sprung from the O'Neills of Ireland.

The variant form of Neil. See O'Neill - Of the very great antiquity of this distinguished name and family there can be no doubt. At what period the particular ancestor from whom the surname is borrowed flourished, it is hard to say, although a definite date is assigned to him by the Irish genealogists. According to them, he lived in the fourth century of the Christian Era, and was fifty-third in descent from the founder of his race, who existed within about a century and a half of the Deluge! How or when such statements came to be invented and received is not certain. That they are honestly believed by many Irishmen.

The name and origin of the house of O'Neill are traced by Irish annalists to the prince-professor of learning, Niul, A.M. 1800, son of Phenius Pharsa, King of Scythia, whose posterity arriving in Spain, Milesius, 21st in descent from Niul, became King of the northern provinces, and his widow Queen Scota, and sons, about 1200 years B.C., led a colony of ‘Milesians' to Ireland, where Heremon, the youngest, became the first monarch.

Niall the Great, 53rd in descent from Heremon, was King of Ireland, A.D. 388. He subdued the Picts and Britons, and after ravaging the coasts of Gaul, was as sassinated on the banks of the Loire, near Boulogne (!) His army, on its return, carried off, among other captives, St. Patrick, the patron Saint of Ireland. For upwards of 600 years afterwards, Niall's descendants exclusively occupied the throne of Ireland. Three kings of his posterity were named after him, viz.: Niall II., surnamed Frassach, who died 770 ; Niall III., surnamed Caille, drowned in the river Callan, A.D. 897; and Niall IV., surnamed Glundubh, "black knee," killed in battle by the Danes of Dublin, A.D. 954. Daniel Ardmach O'Neill, 46th monarch of the Hy-Niall race, grandson of Niall Glundubh, died 1064, andwas succeeded by Malachy, a South Hy-Niall, who died in 1048. King Mortough Mac Neill died A.D. 1168, and was the last native monarch of Ireland of the Hy Nialls.

Now few of the crowned heads and noblest houses of Europe trace their pedigree beyond the eighth or ninth century-many not so far by hundreds of years. Neither is a higher antiquity assumed for them, even by their most flattering genealogists. With the Celtic ex-regal and noble families, however, a love for exaggerated pedigree seems to have been always prevalent, and the Welsh, the Irish, and the Scotch, are equally addicted to it. But whoever looks dispassionately at that great gulph of darkness, the period from the fall of the Roman Empire to the epoch of Charlemagne, say the sixth, seventh, and eighth centuries, and observes the obscurity which envelopes the history even of nations, will hesitate to accept as authentic, the minute family de tails, and regular genealogical descents, presented to his notice by the historians of many Celtic families.

See O'Neill - Of the very great antiquity of this distinguished name and family there can be no doubt. At what period the particular ancestor from whom the surname is borrowed flourished, it is hard to say, although a definite date is assigned to him by the Irish genealogists. According to them, he lived in the fourth century of the Christian Era, and was fifty-third in descent from the founder of his race, who existed within about a century and a half of the Deluge! How or when such statements came to be invented and received is not certain. That they are honestly believed by many Irishmen.

The name and origin of the house of O'Neill are traced by Irish annalists to the prince-professor of learning, Niul, A.M. 1800, son of Phenius Pharsa, King of Scythia, whose posterity arriving in Spain, Milesius, 21st in descent from Niul, became King of the northern provinces, and his widow Queen Scota, and sons, about 1200 years B.C., led a colony of ‘Milesians' to Ireland, where Heremon, the youngest, became the first monarch.

Niall the Great, 53rd in descent from Heremon, was King of Ireland, A.D. 388. He subdued the Picts and Britons, and after ravaging the coasts of Gaul, was as sassinated on the banks of the Loire, near Boulogne (!) His army, on its return, carried off, among other captives, St. Patrick, the patron Saint of Ireland. For upwards of 600 years afterwards, Niall's descendants exclusively occupied the throne of Ireland. Three kings of his posterity were named after him, viz.: Niall II., surnamed Frassach, who died 770 ; Niall III., surnamed Caille, drowned in the river Callan, A.D. 897; and Niall IV., surnamed Glundubh, "black knee," killed in battle by the Danes of Dublin, A.D. 954. Daniel Ardmach O'Neill, 46th monarch of the Hy-Niall race, grandson of Niall Glundubh, died 1064, andwas succeeded by Malachy, a South Hy-Niall, who died in 1048. King Mortough Mac Neill died A.D. 1168, and was the last native monarch of Ireland of the Hy Nialls.

Now few of the crowned heads and noblest houses of Europe trace their pedigree beyond the eighth or ninth century-many not so far by hundreds of years. Neither is a higher antiquity assumed for them, even by their most flattering genealogists. With the Celtic ex-regal and noble families, however, a love for exaggerated pedigree seems to have been always prevalent, and the Welsh, the Irish, and the Scotch, are equally addicted to it. But whoever looks dispassionately at that great gulph of darkness, the period from the fall of the Roman Empire to the epoch of Charlemagne, say the sixth, seventh, and eighth centuries, and observes the obscurity which envelopes the history even of nations, will hesitate to accept as authentic, the minute family de tails, and regular genealogical descents, presented to his notice by the historians of many Celtic families.

Neill is the variation of O'Neill. Of the very great antiquity of this distinguished name and family there can be no doubt. At what period the particular ancestor from whom the surname is borrowed flourished, it is hard to say, although a definite date is assigned to him by the Irish genealogists. According to them, he lived in the fourth century of the Christian Era, and was fifty-third in descent from the founder of his race, who existed within about a century and a half of the Deluge! How or when such statements came to be invented and received is not certain. That they are honestly believed by many Irishmen.

The name and origin of the house of O'Neill are traced by Irish annalists to the prince-professor of learning, Niul, A.M. 1800, son of Phenius Pharsa, King of Scythia, whose posterity arriving in Spain, Milesius, 21st in descent from Niul, became King of the northern provinces, and his widow Queen Scota, and sons, about 1200 years B.C., led a colony of ‘Milesians' to Ireland, where Heremon, the youngest, became the first monarch.

Niall the Great, 53rd in descent from Heremon, was King of Ireland, A.D. 388. He subdued the Picts and Britons, and after ravaging the coasts of Gaul, was as sassinated on the banks of the Loire, near Boulogne (!) His army, on its return, carried off, among other captives, St. Patrick, the patron Saint of Ireland. For upwards of 600 years afterwards, Niall's descendants exclusively occupied the throne of Ireland. Three kings of his posterity were named after him, viz.: Niall II., surnamed Frassach, who died 770 ; Niall III., surnamed Caille, drowned in the river Callan, A.D. 897; and Niall IV., surnamed Glundubh, "black knee," killed in battle by the Danes of Dublin, A.D. 954. Daniel Ardmach O'Neill, 46th monarch of the Hy-Niall race, grandson of Niall Glundubh, died 1064, andwas succeeded by Malachy, a South Hy-Niall, who died in 1048. King Mortough Mac Neill died A.D. 1168, and was the last native monarch of Ireland of the Hy Nialls.

Now few of the crowned heads and noblest houses of Europe trace their pedigree beyond the eighth or ninth century-many not so far by hundreds of years. Neither is a higher antiquity assumed for them, even by their most flattering genealogists. With the Celtic ex-regal and noble families, however, a love for exaggerated pedigree seems to have been always prevalent, and the Welsh, the Irish, and the Scotch, are equally addicted to it. But whoever looks dispassionately at that great gulph of darkness, the period from the fall of the Roman Empire to the epoch of Charlemagne, say the sixth, seventh, and eighth centuries, and observes the obscurity which envelopes the history even of nations, will hesitate to accept as authentic, the minute family de tails, and regular genealogical descents, presented to his notice by the historians of many Celtic families.

How popular is Neill?

Neill is common in United States, England, Australia, Northern Ireland, Canada, Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Wales.

Neill is ranked 16908 on our list.

Despite the fact that the number of Neill bearers increased by 5.12 per cent in 2010 US census to 9404 since 2000, the surname slipped by 117 spots and ranked at 3768. The last name was found in around 3 per hundred thousand population. Please refer to following table for race and ethnicity.

Race 2010 2000
White 93.12 94.77
Hispanic or Latino 2.92 1.97
Others 1.84 1.4
Black 1.01 0.87
Asian and Native Hawaiian
& Other Pacific Islander
0.7 0.53
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.4 0.47
Neill is quite popular family name mostly used in United States while Northern Ireland is ahead in terms of density. Around 32858 people have been found who wears Neill as their family name. Neill is used widely across the globe. More detailed information can be found below:
RankCountryCount
Countries with ten thousands of Neill:
3,171 United States14,388
Countries with thousands of Neill:
1,865 England4,422
1,324 Australia3,029
93 Northern Ireland2,990
2,323 Canada2,293
542 Scotland1,786
623 Ireland1,337
Countries with hundreds of Neill:
744 New Zealand974
15,541 South Africa406
17,726 Saudi Arabia239
1,727 Wales194
Countries with low frequency i.e., 50 - 100:
78,645 Brazil82
3,943 Guatemala75
164,273 Thailand64
123,217 France57
273 Isle of Man56
Countries with very low frequency i.e., 10 - 50:
39,071 Spain43
1,021 Malta24
14,824 Dominican Republic23
19,736 Denmark22
59,518 Netherlands21
163,016 Germany21
18,229 Botswana17
5,614 Jamaica16
36,405 Switzerland16
49,801 Austria16
322,587 Russia15
15,474 Ecuador14
66,551 Zimbabwe14
192,576 Philippines14
19,471 Estonia12
66,831 Sweden11
102,971 Malaysia11
78,166 Belgium11
Countries with very very low frequency i.e., 6 - 10:
2,003 Jersey10
4,148 Costa Rica10
714 Vanuatu9
48,838 Japan6
55,922 Qatar6
863,365 India6
11,702 China6
Show Full Last Name Distribution

Immigrants to US

From Ireland

James Neill was 21 years old when he migrated to USA during Irish famine on May 15, 1846. He lived in Great Britain where he worked as workman and took Monteauma from Liverpool. Rose Neill (20) Workwoman, Shoemaker Thomas Neill, F.Ann Neill, aged 21, Sewer Anne Neill, Thomas Neill (30) Farmer, Farmer Thomas Neill, Immigrant Teresa Neill, 34 years old Olivia Neill, and 283 other Neill around 59.06% of whom were workman while others worked as shoemaker and seamstress, farmer, spinster, servant, clerk, spinner migrated to US from Liverpool, Dublin and Limerick.

From Germany

19 years old farmer Jacob Neill who was residing in Germany migrated to USA on July 9, 1852 by Gesine put out from Bremen. Daughter Anna Neill, Appelonia Neill (7) Daughter, Catharina Neill, aged 6, Friederich Neill, 42 years old Gertrude Neill, 44 years old Joseph Neill, Maria Neill, aged 5, 36 years old John Neill, are others that migrated to US.

Neill Namesakes

  • Ben Neill, American composer, trumpeter, producer
  • Paul Neill, American electrical engineer at Bell Labs
  • Edward Duffield Neill, American author and educator
  • Bud Neill, Scottish cartoonist
  • Charles Neill, first neurosurgeon in the state of Mississippi
  • John W. Neill, born was captain of the Great Britain Field Hockey team at the Mexico Olympics
  • John Neill, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin until the end of January 2011
  • David Neill,
  • Chris Neill, British comedian
  • Alan Webster Neill, Canadian politician
  • Robin Neill, Canadian economic historian
  • John R. Neill, magazine and children's book illustrator primarily
  • Bob Neill, British barrister and Conservative Party politician
  • A. S. Neill, Scottish educator and author
  • Alec Neill, former Chairman of the Canterbury Regional Council and a former National Party politician
  • Lucas Neill, Australian former footballer
  • Terry Neill, Northern Ireland former football player and manager
  • Noel Neill, American actress
  • James C. Neill, 19th-century American soldier and politician
  • James George Smith Neill, Scottish military officer of the East India Company
  • Roy William Neill, Irish-born American film director best
  • Rose Neill, Ulster broadcaster, currently working for UTV
  • Warren Neill, English former footballer
  • Bruce Neill, Australian cricket player
  • Ryan Neill, former American football defensive end and long snapper
  • Richard Neill, American actor of the silent era
  • James Neill, American stage actor and film actor of the silent era

Neill Namesakes

  • Ben Neill, American composer, trumpeter, producer
  • Paul Neill, American electrical engineer at Bell Labs
  • Edward Duffield Neill, American author and educator
  • Bud Neill, Scottish cartoonist
  • Charles Neill, first neurosurgeon in the state of Mississippi
  • John W. Neill, born was captain of the Great Britain Field Hockey team at the Mexico Olympics
  • John Neill, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin until the end of January 2011
  • David Neill,
  • Chris Neill, British comedian
  • Alan Webster Neill, Canadian politician
  • Robin Neill, Canadian economic historian
  • John R. Neill, magazine and children's book illustrator primarily
  • Bob Neill, British barrister and Conservative Party politician
  • A. S. Neill, Scottish educator and author
  • Alec Neill, former Chairman of the Canterbury Regional Council and a former National Party politician
  • Lucas Neill, Australian former footballer
  • Terry Neill, Northern Ireland former football player and manager
  • Noel Neill, American actress
  • James C. Neill, 19th-century American soldier and politician
  • James George Smith Neill, Scottish military officer of the East India Company
  • Roy William Neill, Irish-born American film director best
  • Rose Neill, Ulster broadcaster, currently working for UTV
  • Warren Neill, English former footballer
  • Bruce Neill, Australian cricket player
  • Ryan Neill, former American football defensive end and long snapper
  • Richard Neill, American actor of the silent era
  • James Neill, American stage actor and film actor of the silent era

Related Family Names: