Language & meaning
Meaning & Irish forms
Gaelic Gaelic Irish, from Ó Foghladha of Co. Waterford, with a few Sligo Foleys from Mac Searraigh and a separate English Foley family.[1][2][3]
The name is built on the personal name Foghlaidh, usually explained as “plunderer”. Woulfe and Wikipedia both give 'plunderer'. Wiktionary treats it as a byname from the Irish word foghlaí, which it glosses as plunderer, pillager, marauder or robber.[1][6][7]
Pronunciation
Foley: FOH-lee
Place
Where the Foleys lived
How common the name was in each county, as a share of the population, in the three surviving full censuses of Ireland. Use the buttons to compare years.
Share of each county's census population. 1926 covers the 26 counties of the Irish Free State only.
Highest concentration · 1901
Kerry
123 per 10,000
2,037 Foleys · 5.95× the national share
Highest share, 1901
Per 10,000 residents. A concentration index above 1 means the name was commoner there than nationally.
Highest concentration · 1911
Kerry
121 per 10,000
1,936 Foleys · 6.03× the national share
Highest share, 1911
Per 10,000 residents. A concentration index above 1 means the name was commoner there than nationally.
County figures as a table
| County | 1901 | 1911 | 1926 | Per 10k 1901 | Per 10k 1911 | Per 10k 1926 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antrim | 37 | 51 | — | 1 | 1 | — |
| Armagh | 1 | 13 | — | 0 | 1 | — |
| Carlow | 203 | 201 | 201 | 55 | 55 | 59 |
| Cavan | 19 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Clare | 193 | 193 | 151 | 17 | 19 | 16 |
| Cork | 1,971 | 1,878 | 1,821 | 49 | 48 | 50 |
| Donegal | 7 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Down | 80 | 83 | — | 3 | 3 | — |
| Dublin | 568 | 661 | 736 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| Fermanagh | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Galway | 48 | 53 | 58 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Kerry | 2,037 | 1,936 | 1,856 | 123 | 121 | 125 |
| Kildare | 126 | 117 | 121 | 21 | 18 | 21 |
| Kilkenny | 235 | 242 | 244 | 31 | 32 | 35 |
| Laois | 68 | 49 | 54 | 12 | 9 | 11 |
| Leitrim | 183 | 159 | 161 | 26 | 25 | 28 |
| Limerick | 539 | 494 | 530 | 37 | 35 | 38 |
| Londonderry | 4 | 5 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Longford | 14 | 19 | 21 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Louth | 17 | 15 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Mayo | 129 | 143 | 106 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| Meath | 91 | 65 | 75 | 13 | 10 | 12 |
| Monaghan | 16 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Offaly | 56 | 63 | 69 | 9 | 11 | 13 |
| Roscommon | 151 | 136 | 99 | 15 | 15 | 12 |
| Sligo | 360 | 348 | 309 | 45 | 44 | 43 |
| Tipperary | 264 | 254 | 293 | 17 | 17 | 21 |
| Tyrone | 46 | 45 | — | 3 | 3 | — |
| Waterford | 995 | 873 | 845 | 114 | 106 | 108 |
| Westmeath | 42 | 32 | 29 | 7 | 5 | 5 |
| Wexford | 508 | 516 | 562 | 49 | 50 | 59 |
| Wicklow | 143 | 144 | 98 | 24 | 24 | 17 |
Local strongholds in 1911
District Electoral Divisions (300+ residents) where Foleys made up the largest share of the population. In Curraghbeg, Co. Kerry, about one resident in 6 was a Foley.
| DED | County | Foleys | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curraghbeg | Kerry | 98 | 18.0% |
| Maum | Kerry | 84 | 16.8% |
| Kilgarrylander | Kerry | 101 | 9.6% |
| Grange | Waterford | 33 | 8.9% |
| Kilgobnet | Kerry | 75 | 8.8% |
| Carrownaskeagh | Sligo | 26 | 7.9% |
| Killinane | Kerry | 61 | 7.5% |
| Dromin | Kerry | 55 | 6.8% |
Origins
Septs & territories
Many Irish surnames were adopted independently by unrelated families. These are the distinct Foley lineages described in the sources.
A surname can point you towards a place. On its own, it cannot establish a pedigree.
Ó Foghladha of Waterford
Co. Waterford, later much of Munster · Waterford, Cork, Kerry
The main source of the name. Woulfe describes Ó Foghladha as originally a Waterford surname that had become common throughout Munster and south Leinster by his time. Wikipedia similarly places its origin in south-east Munster. Neither source names a specific territory or chief.[1][6]
Mac Searraigh (Foley by translation)
Breifne and the Sligo district · Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan
An old Breifne family found in the 16th century in Leitrim, Cavan and Sligo, whose name normally became MacSharry or Sherry. Woulfe explains that because searrach means 'foal', some branches took the 'translated' forms Feley and Foley, the latter common near Sligo town.[2]
Foley of Worcestershire (Barons Foley)
Stourbridge and Kidderminster, Worcestershire
Not an Irish family. Burke records arms granted in 1671 to Robert Foley of Stourbridge, and the family of the ironmaster Thomas Foley produced two creations of the title Baron Foley, in 1712 and 1776. The sources consulted do not connect them with the Irish Ó Foghladha.[3][8]
The name over time
History
The plunderer's descendants
Foley comes from Ó Foghladha, 'descendant of Foghlaidh'. Woulfe and Wikipedia both translate the name as 'plunderer', and Wiktionary explains it as a byname, a nickname rather than a baptismal name, taken from the Irish word foghlaí, meaning a plunderer, pillager or marauder. The modern Irish spelling is Ó Foghlú. Early English renderings recorded by Woulfe include O Folowe and O'Foley, and Gaois also notes the spelling Fowley. Most bearers soon dropped the O, leaving the short form Foley.[1][6][7][5]
From Waterford across Munster
Woulfe identifies Co. Waterford as the original home of the name, and Wikipedia likewise places its origin in the south-east of Munster. From there it spread widely. By the early 20th century Woulfe found Foley common across the whole of Munster and in the southern counties of Leinster. Neither source records a named territory, castle or chief for the family, so the early history of the Ó Foghladha line is much less documented than that of the larger Munster septs.[1][6]
An archbishop of Cashel
The earliest Foley noted by Woulfe is Maolíosa Ó Foghladha, Archbishop of Cashel in the early 12th century. This was a period of church reform: the Synod of Ráth Breasail in 1118 made Cashel one of the two Irish metropolitan sees, with authority over the southern half of the island, and the archbishops' seat was at the Rock of Cashel, the old royal centre of the kings of Munster. Woulfe gives no further detail about him or his family.[1][9]
Foleys by translation in Sligo
Not every Foley descends from Ó Foghladha. Woulfe records that Mac Searraigh, an old surname of Breifne found in Leitrim, Cavan and Sligo, was usually anglicised MacSharry or Sherry. Searrach is the Irish for a foal, and some families rendered their name in English by meaning rather than sound, choosing Feley, from 'filly', or Foley. Woulfe found the form Foley especially common around the town of Sligo, so a Foley family from the north-west may well have this origin rather than a Munster one.[2]
The English Foleys
England had an unrelated Foley family. Burke records arms granted in 1671 to Robert Foley of Stourbridge in Worcestershire, and a Pembrokeshire line he traces to a deed of 1383 naming John Fowley. The Worcestershire family, descended from the ironmaster Thomas Foley, gave the House of Commons its Speaker Paul Foley and twice held the peerage title Baron Foley, created in 1712 and again in 1776. These Foleys are a separate English name and should not be confused with Irish Ó Foghladha families.[3][8]
Places linked to the name
- County Waterford (Contae Phort Láirge), Co. Waterford — Original home of the Ó Foghladha family, according to Woulfe.[1][6]
- Rock of Cashel, Co. Tipperary — Seat of the archbishops of Cashel, among them Maolíosa Ó Foghladha in the early 12th century.[1][9]
- Sligo, Co. Sligo — Town around which Woulfe found Foley used as a 'translation' of Mac Searraigh.[2]
Everyday lives
The Foleys in the census
Who the Foleys were in the 1901 and 1911 censuses (and 1926 where recorded), set against everyone in Ireland in the same census.
Foleys All of Ireland Ireland's figure marked on the Foley bar
Religion, 1911
Irish language
63 Foleys spoke Irish only in 1901.
Reading & writing
Family life, 1911
Commonest occupations
Adults aged 15+, 1901 and 1911 combined.
| Farmer | 1,556 |
| Farmer's son | 767 |
| Farmer's daughter | 406 |
| Agricultural labourer | 396 |
| Farm servant | 371 |
| General labourer | 317 |
| Labourer | 272 |
| Farm labourer | 234 |
| Domestic servant | 211 |
| House keeper | 197 |
Born outside Ireland
0.8% of Foleys in 1911 gave a birthplace outside Ireland.
| England | 36 |
| United States | 18 |
| Scotland | 10 |
| Australia & NZ | 3 |
| Wales | 2 |
Median age: 24 in 1901, 25 in 1911.
Given names
First names among the Foleys
Men and boys
- John2,104
- Patrick1,591
- Michael1,332
- James1,140
- Thomas891
- William590
- Daniel479
- Timothy473
- Denis297
- Jeremiah253
Women and girls
- Mary2,308
- Bridget1,041
- Margaret868
- Ellen788
- Kate570
- Catherine489
- Annie341
- Julia331
- Hannah316
- Johanna256
All three censuses combined. Top five in 1926: John, Patrick, Michael, James, Thomas; Mary, Margaret, Bridget, Ellen, Kate.
Spellings
Spellings
This page combines the spellings below, which census enumerators and families used for the same name.
| Spelling | 1901 | 1911 | 1926 | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foley | 9,152 | 8,818 | 8,470 | Search |
Related forms
- O'Foley — The form keeping the Ó prefix, recorded by Woulfe.[1]
- O Folowe — An early English spelling of Ó Foghladha recorded by Woulfe.[1]
- Fowley — An alternative English form listed by Gaois; also found in an English line recorded by Burke.[5][3]
- Feley — Like some Foleys, a 'translation' of the Breifne name Mac Searraigh.[2]
- Foyley — A spelling Burke gives alongside Foley for one English family.[3]
Diaspora
The Foleys abroad
Emigration carried the name worldwide. In the 2010 United States census:
| Spelling | People | US rank |
|---|---|---|
| Foley | 51,865 | 661st |
Source: US Census Bureau, 2010 surname file (public domain).
Heraldry
Is there a Foley coat of arms?
There is no single Foley crest; arms belonged to particular families. Burke's General Armory records an Irish grant of 1793 to John Foley of Dublin: on red, a chevron between three silver arrowheads (pheons) pointing down, within a silver border charged with red roses, with a red demi-lion holding an arrowhead as crest. The better-known Foley arms in Burke, a black engrailed band between three cinquefoils with the motto 'Ut prosim', belong to the English Barons Foley.[3]
Websites selling a single “Foley family crest” are selling a design, not an inheritance. Arms in Ireland belonged to individuals and their heirs, and the Chief Herald of Ireland still grants arms that way today.
People
Notable people named Foley
- John Henry Foley (1818–1874) Dublin-born sculptor of the O'Connell Monument in Dublin and Prince Albert on the Albert Memorial.
- Margaret Foley (1873–1957) Irish-American labour organiser, suffragist and social worker from Boston.
- Frank Foley (1884–1958) British intelligence officer in Berlin who helped thousands of Jewish families escape Nazi Germany.
- Jack Foley (1891–1967) American sound-effects pioneer after whom film 'Foley artists' are named.
- Frederic Foley (1891–1966) American urologist who designed the Foley catheter.
- Red Foley (1910–1968) American singer who was one of country music's biggest stars after the Second World War.
- Donal Foley (1922–1981) Journalist from the Ring Gaeltacht who wrote the Irish Times satirical column 'Man Bites Dog'.
- Tom Foley (1929–2013) Washington Democrat who was Speaker of the US House of Representatives, 1989–1995.
- Des Foley (1940–1995) Dublin Gaelic footballer and hurler who later served as a Fianna Fáil TD.
- Dave Foley (born 1963) Canadian actor and comedian, co-founder of The Kids in the Hall.
- Norma Foley (born 1970) Kerry Fianna Fáil politician, Minister for Education from 2020 to 2025.
- Anthony Foley (1973–2016) Ireland rugby international who captained and later coached Munster.
Questions
Questions about the Foley name
Is Foley an Irish surname?
Yes, in the great majority of cases. Foley is the English form of Ó Foghladha, which Woulfe describes as originally a Waterford name, later common throughout Munster and south Leinster. A smaller group of Sligo Foleys took the name as a translation of Mac Searraigh. There is also an unrelated English Foley family from Worcestershire.[1][2][8]
What is Foley in Irish?
The modern Irish form is Ó Foghlú; the older spelling, used by Woulfe, is Ó Foghladha. Gaois also records Ó Foghludha as a historical form.[5][6][1]
What does the name Foley mean?
It means 'descendant of Foghlaidh', and Foghlaidh means 'plunderer'. Wiktionary describes it as a byname, a descriptive nickname, from the word foghlaí, which can mean plunderer, pillager, marauder or robber. For the Sligo Foleys from Mac Searraigh the link is quite different: searrach means 'foal'.[1][7][2]
How do you pronounce Foley?
It is said 'FOH-lee', with the stress on the first syllable. Wiktionary gives the American pronunciation as /ˈfoʊli/.[7]
Is Foley an English or Irish name?
It can be either, though most Foleys are Irish. The Irish name is Ó Foghladha from Waterford. Separately, Burke records an English Foley family of Stourbridge in Worcestershire, granted arms in 1671, whose members became Barons Foley in the 18th century. The sources do not suggest the two families are related.[1][3][8]
Is there a Foley family crest or coat of arms?
No single crest belongs to all Foleys. Burke records an Irish grant of arms made in 1793 to John Foley of Dublin, showing arrowheads and a border of roses. The arms with the motto 'Ut prosim' often shown for Foley belong to the English Barons Foley, not to the Irish Ó Foghladha.[3]
Where in Ireland is the Foley surname most common?
In the 1911 census the largest numbers of Foleys lived in Kerry (1,936), Cork (1,878), Waterford (873). Relative to population, the name was most concentrated in Kerry (121 per 10,000), Waterford (106 per 10,000), Carlow (55 per 10,000).
How common was the Foley surname in Ireland?
8,818 people were recorded as Foley in the 1911 census of Ireland, making it the 72nd most common surname. That is roughly 0.2% of the population, or 1 person in 498.
Looking for a Foley ancestor?
Search every Foley household in the 1901, 1911 and 1926 censuses, with free images of the original forms.
Evidence
Sources
- Patrick Woulfe, Ó Foghladha, in Irish Names and Surnames (1923)
- Patrick Woulfe, Mac Searraigh, in Irish Names and Surnames (1923)
- Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales (1884). Entries 'Foley', including 'Foley (Dublin; granted by Fortescue, Ulster, 1793)', 'Foley (Baron Foley)' and 'Foley (Ridgway, co. Pembroke)'.
- Patrick Woulfe, Ó Fodhladha, in Irish Names and Surnames (1923)
- Gaois, Dublin City University, Sloinnte: Irish surnames database (cluster 'Foghlaí') (2022)
- Wikipedia, Foley (surname) (2026)
- Wiktionary, Foley (2026)
- Wikipedia, Baron Foley (2026)
- Wikipedia, Archbishop of Cashel (2026)
- Census of Ireland 1901 and 1911, and Census of Population 1926, National Archives of Ireland. Counts compiled by surnames.ie from the irishcensus.com transcription (dataset 20260831130351). 1926 data © National Archives of Ireland, CC BY 4.0.
How we compile these figures: methodology.