Buckley (surname)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Buckley - Ó Buachalla
PronunciationIrish (/oː bˠuːaxal̪ˠl̪ˠa/) Old English (/bʌkliː/)
Origin
MeaningIrish: buachall meaning boy
Old English: bucc and leah meaning goat and wood
Region of originIreland and England

Buckley is a surname originating from either Ireland or England where it is particularly common, as well as Canada and the United States.

Some sources outline an Irish origin,[1] whereas others outline an Old English origin.[2]

Spelling variations of Buckley include Bucklie, Buckly, Bulkley, Buhilly, Ó Buachalla, Boughla and others.

Origins[edit]

The English surname is credited by some unknown sources as being of Old English origin, either as a habitation surname derived from settlements named Buckley, or as an occupational surname from the Anglo-Saxon words Bucc and Leah, meaning goat and wood.[2]

A branch of the Buckley family lived in Buckley, Greater Manchester, in Rochdale for many centuries.[3] They gave their name to Buckley Hall, a manor house found within the locality. Their name is said to derive from "bleak hill" and they can be traced back to a "Geoffrey de Buckley".

In Ireland, Ó Buachalla, taken from the Irish word 'buachaill' originally meaning 'herdsman' (in modern Irish it has come to mean 'boy'), was anglicised early as Ó Boughelly, Boughla, Buhilly and later as Buckley.

Notable Buckleys[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "O'Buhilly, Buckley", goireland.com, archived from the original on 18 March 2006
  2. ^ a b "Buckley". Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press. 2013.
  3. ^ Rochdale Families - Buckley Archived April 25, 2005, at the Wayback Machine, rochdale.gov.uk. URL accessed February 15, 2007.