The O'Neills  were one of the main Irish clans and go back over a thousand years. The name O'Neill,  is from the personal name Niall, possibly meaning 'passionate' or 'vehement'.

The O'Neill family history can be traced back to 360 AD. They are descended from the royal family of Tara, who were kings of Ulster and monarchs of all Ireland from the 5th to the early 17th centuries. The surname comes from Niall Glúin Dubh (Niall of the black knee), who was King of Ireland from 890 until he was slain in 919. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Donell O'Neill, grandson of Niall Glúin Dubh, dated c1000, in the 'Historic Annals of Ireland', during the reign of King Malachy 11, known as 'High King of Ireland', 977 - 1002. In addition to the O'Neills of Ulster, where the family is most numerous, there were sets in Thomond (counties Clare and Limerick), Decies (Waterford), and County Carlow.

The legendary Niall of the Nine Hostages was also a remote ancestor. He established himself as King of Midhe (Meath) at Tara around 400 AD. His kingship was followed by many of his descendants, thereafter referred to as the Ui Neill. The Ui Neill dynasty divided into two in the 400's, the Northern Ui Neill (Cineal Eoghain and the Cineal Conaill) remained in the north while the Southern Ui Neill moved to Meath and the eastern midlands - they took it in turns to be Kings of Tara and, later, High Kings of Ireland.

Noteable People with O'Neill as their Surname
Irish rebel Hugh O'Neill (1550-1616), the 2nd Earl of Tyrone was born into the powerful O'Neill family of Ulster. He grew up in London, then returned to Ireland (1568) to assume his grandfather's title of earl of Tyrone. He was chieftain of the O'Neills from 1593 and in 1598 he won the Battle of the Yellow Ford on the River Blackwater, Ulster, which sparked a countrywide revolt. He was defeated by the English at the battle of Kinsale in 1601. In 1607 he fled with about 100 chieftains and lived in Rome the rest of his life. He was the last great leader of Gaelic Ireland, because the so-called 'Flight of the Earls' brought an end to Gaelic Ulster, and the province was rapidly anglicised.

Eoghan Ruadh Ó'Néill (c1590-1649), anglicised as Owen Roe O'Neill (Red Owen), was a seventeenth century soldier and one of the most famous of the O'Neill dynasty of Ulster. In 1646, he defeated an English and Scottish army at Benburb, County Tyrone. A great deal of material on the O'Neills can be found in the O'Neill Historical Centre there.

The Plantation of Ulster followed the Flight of the Earls. Protestant families were brought in by King James VI of Scotland and I of England, they came from England and Scotland and given lands seized from Gaelic Irish. This has been the cause of the troubles in Ireland ever since between the Protestants and Catholics.

 

 

The Neill, O'neill family was so difficult to research and I still can't really get much further with them. Albeit they were interesting if not a little frustrating to find. The family moved around a lot between censuses! They also dropped the pre-fix O' more than once.

I've included an explanation relating to the changes in the  Gaelic surnames.

 

 During the 18th and 19th centuries there were concerted efforts by the English to suppress the use of the Irish Language and the use of Irish names. At that time falling in line and changing your name to something with a more English sound was a pragmatic move which improved your chances of social and economic advancement.    This had two primary effects on Irish names:    1.The use of Mac and O’ was dropped by many families  Some families have since revived the O or Mac, others never did, which explains why you will find Mahony and O’Mahony, Neill and O’Neill, all with a common history.  2.Many old Gaelic names became anglicised  Sometimes the anglicised version was a translation, sometimes a phonetic spelling of the Irish,  sometimes a mixture of the two. 

 

 

 

Alice Gertrude Neill.

Alice was born in  Sallins, Naas, County Kildare, Ireland on 28th June 1885,  Baptism 7th July Naas. There is no information why the family were in Ireland at the time but her father was recorded as a Boatman on her birth certificate so he must have been working on the canal there. I can only assume that the reason they were there was something connected to her father's family.

In 1891 the O'neill family were living in King Williams Yard, Settle, Yorkshire and by 1901 they had dropped the prefix O to their surname and were just Neill. They were living in Bell Busk Houses in Coniston Cold, Alice was a silk spinner aged 15.

Alice *O'neill married James Burrows on 25th March 1908 in Skipton registry office, the couple made their home in Skipton and had 11 children, some of which died young.

In 1911 the family were living at 6 Mount Pleasant Skipton and had Alices' brother William staying with them. 

Alice died in 1962 aged 76.

 

 

The photo below shows from left to right not including the child who is still living, Mary Burrows, Hannah Alice Talbot Armstrong (seated), Alice Gertrude O'neill.

 

My mother and I and my daughters and grandchildren holidayed in Ireland in 2017 and mum and I visited Sallins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Neill/O'neill was born in County Kildare in Ireland about 1855, son of John. I couldn't find any information relating to him as there are thousands of John Neill/O'neills in Ireland! I know he moved about a bit though, apparently he was in the army in Afghanistan at some point in his early life, he was also married before as he was a widower on his marriage certificate when he married Hannah.

In the 1881 census John was a lodger with many others of Irish nationality, living in Settle High Street. He was a Railway Labourer, aged 24 and a widower.  He must have been courting Hannah at the time as they were married not long after. 

The marriage took place  on 3rd October 1881 in the Catholic Chapel, Settle. They had at least five children: Rose-Mary, born in Burnley Lancashire in 1884, Alice Gertrude (born Ireland), Joseph born in Burnley on 6th August 1889, Bernard born in Settle on 2nd March 1891, William born in Langcliffe near Settle in 1898.

On Alice Gertrudes birth certificate in 1885 it gives Johns' occupation as a 'Boat man'. 

 

John and Hannah lived in Sallins for a while  this was when Alice Gertrude was born.  During this time John was accused of larceny in Sallins and ended up in court but the case was dismissed even though it was ‘highly suspicious’ but there was no proof. He was accused by his neighbour of stealing £3, some farthings and a bad penny, it was the bad penny which caught him out when they were sat by the fireside with his neighbour, John gave some money to his wife to go and get some ale and this was when the neighbour saw the bad penny.

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In 1891 the family were living in King Williams Yard, Settle and John (O'neill) was a masons labourer.

The family then moved to Coniston Cold and were recorded on the 1901 census as Neill, John was a railway labourer. The family must have moved shortly after the census as John died in 10 Victoria Street, Skipton 9th October 1901 aged 46, cause of death was heart disease, Hannah was present at his death.

 

 

The Neill/O'neill children

 

Rose Mary O'neill was born about 1884 in  Burnley lancashire. She married William Walter T Thwaites in Skipton in 1903, they had three children: John William (1905), Thomas Edward (1907), Rose Mary (1909). 

In 1911 the address was 31 East Gate, Skipton, a three roomed house. William was a brick setter. They stayed in Eastgate until 1924 then the family moved to 10 Southey Street.

In the 1939 register there is a note next to Rose Mary which says pwc 659/10469 which means she was in receipt of Post War Credits.

Rose Mary died in Skipton in 1954. 

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Photo is Rose Mary O'Neill.

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Joseph O'neill was born 6th August 1889 in Burnley Lancashire and was baptised at Holy Trinity, Habergham Eaves on 8th September 1889.

In 1911 he was living on a canal boat on the Leeds/Liverpool canal in Skipton

He married May Smith in Skipton in 1917 and they had seven children: 

Joseph (1919-1984), he married Anne Josephine Dunne in Cavan Ireland in 1956.. Died 12th June 1984 and buried in St Stephens Skipton.

Nellie (1921-?), Bernard (1923),

Michael (1925-2006), born 6th May, died 15th July, buried in St Stephens Skipton.

William (1927), Margaret (1929), Kathleen (1933).
Son Michael became a policeman.

In the 1939 register he was as a coal bargeman, a heavy worker and lived at Gargrave Road, Skipton.

Joseph died in  Skipton on 29th May 1963 and  is buried in St Stephen's Catholic Churchyard.

Joseph Senior died on 26th May 1963 and is buried in St Stephens Skipton. May died 9th June 1976 and is buried in St Stephens Skipton.

 

Bernard O'neill was born 28th March 1891 in Settle. In 1911 he was living with his mother Hannah at 10 Hardcastle Yard Skipton and was a horse driver. He married Lilian Clark in Skipton in 1914. They had three children:

Ronald (1915) who married Doris Throup

Mollie (1920), Sybil (1927).

The family lived at 8 Cromwell St,Skipton.

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Bernard was in the army see his record here.At the time of enlistment in 1911 he was an engine cleaner for the Midland Railway. He died in 1971 aged 79. 

 

William O'neill was born in Langcliffe in 1898. He was living with his sister Alice Gertrude and her husband James Burrows in 1911 at 6 Mount Pleasant Skipton.

William served in WWI, see his military record here.

 

 

Photo below, William's grave.