Mullally Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Mullally Family History

Mullally Family History

The Mullally ancient family history was found in the irishsurnames.com archives.

Surnames developed a wide number of variants over the centuries. Many different spelling variations of the same name can be traced back to a single original root. Also, when a bearer of a name emigrated from Ireland it was not uncommon that their original name would be incorrectly transcribed in the record books upon arrival at their new location. Some names have dozens of spelling variations. Some Surnames were also altered over the years based on how they sounded phonetically, by their sound, and depending on the prevailing political conditions it may have been advantageous to change a name from one language to another. This was especially so in Ireland where most Gaelic names were 'anglicized' at some stage.

Variants of the name Mullally include O'Mulally, Mullalley, Mullaly, Mullaley and Lally. These names are derived from the Gaeilc O'Maolalaidh sept who were an important sept of the Ui Maine. They were a branch of the O'Naughtens, and were of some importance in Connacht Province, where, after the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in the twelfth century, they were constantly feuding with the de Burgos, who became the Burkes. As a result of this, and other causes, they were forced northwards, but only a short distance, as they remained within what is now County Galway, settling in the neighbourhood of Tuam. After the Siege of Limerick, Thomas Arthur O'Mullally was among the 'Wild Geese' who fled the country. The Mullally family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Mullally descendants.